Final answer:
Watson's statement likely signifies the importance of their scientific work being recognized in educational materials, and the subsequent attention to detail publishers must pay in correctly spelling their names for future textbook editions.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Watson says, 'It means textbook publishers will call to make sure they have the correct spelling of our names,' he is likely referring to the significant impact of a scientific discovery on future academic materials. This statement implies that the work by Watson and his colleague is groundbreaking enough that it will be included in textbooks, thus necessitating the correct attribution and spelling of their names by publishers. The background context involves the profound discovery on the structure of DNA by Watson and Crick, which suggested a mechanism for genetic material copying. This discovery was foundational in biology textbooks. Careful attention to the accurate representation of names and proper nouns by publishers is a historical practice, as evidenced by the guidelines in Joseph Moxon's 1683 manual for printers and in subsequent manuals by John Smith and Paul Luckombe.