The year the (complete) discovery of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) took place was in 1953 and it was proclaimed by James Watson and Francis Crick. DNA is the fundamental makeup for an individual’s entire genetic makeup. DNA is often compared to a set of blueprints, like a recipe or a code, since it contains the instructions needed to construct other components of cells, such as proteins and RNA molecules. DNA consists of two long polymers of simple units called nucleotides, which have backbones made of sugars and phosphate groups. DNA has four different amino acids: Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine, and Guanine. Pairs in DNA include A-T and C-G. There is no such thing as A-C, A-G, T-C or T-G; it’s scientifically impossible.
II. Discovery
The year for the (complete) discovery of DNA was 1953 and the “investigators” were James Watson and Francis Crick. The very first research on DNA began in the year 1869, when Swiss physiological chemist Friedrich Miescher first identified what he called "nuclein" inside the nuclei of human white blood cells. (The term “nuclein” was later changed to “nucleic acid, later to deoxyribonucleic acid, then DNA.”) Miescher planned on isolating the protein components of leukocytes, not the nuclein. He came across a substance from the cell nuclei that had chemical properties in a protein not familiar to him. In this substance, there was a much higher amount of phosphorus and a resistance to proteolysis, (protein digestion), he realized that he had discovered a unknown substance. He wrote the following in his journal: "It seems probable to me that a whole family of such slightly varying phosphorous-containing substances will appear, as a group of nucleins, equivalent to proteins." (Pray, 2008) His discovery was huge for scientific matters yet it went 50 years without being known by much of the science community. Later, his contributions to science were stolen by others, leaving him no credit. Another contributor to DNA discovery was Rosalind Franklin. Franklin looked to discover the shape in which DNA had. Her research began in the year 1952, when much was known then about DNA, yet it was not known exactly what a molecule of DNA looked like. Although most credit goes to Watson and Crick, Franklin was a vital contributor to the discovery of the look DNA has. Franklin (and Maurice Wilkins) used the technique called X-Ray crystallography in order to produce a diffraction pattern. With this pattern, they reconstructed the positions of the atoms in the molecules. They had discovered two forms of DNA, Form A and Form B. After their discovery of the two forms, they set up ways to figure out which one is which and why. Franklin didn’t know but Watson and Crick had access to her information. She died at the age of 37 due to cancer and Watson and Crick took advantage and claimed her work for themselves and they denied ever using her as help or a source. In other words, Watson and Crick stole the ideas of Rosalind Franklin.
The year for the (complete) discovery of DNA was 1953 and the “investigators” were James Watson and Francis Crick. The very first research on DNA began in the year 1869, when Swiss physiological chemist Friedrich Miescher first identified what he called "nuclein" inside the nuclei of human white blood cells. (The term “nuclein” was later changed to “nucleic acid, later to deoxyribonucleic acid, then DNA.”) Miescher planned on isolating the protein components of leukocytes, not the nuclein. He came across a substance from the cell nuclei that had chemical properties in a protein not familiar to him. In this substance, there was a much higher amount of phosphorus and a resistance to proteolysis, (protein digestion), he realized that he had discovered a unknown substance. He wrote the following in his journal: "It seems probable to me that a whole family of such slightly varying phosphorous-containing substances will appear, as a group of nucleins, equivalent to proteins." (Pray, 2008) His discovery was huge for scientific matters yet it went 50 years without being known by much of the science community. Later, his contributions to science were stolen by others, leaving him no credit. Another contributor to DNA discovery was Rosalind Franklin. Franklin looked to discover the shape in which DNA had. Her research began in the year 1952, when much was known then about DNA, yet it was not known exactly what a molecule of DNA looked like. Although most credit goes to Watson and Crick, Franklin was a vital contributor to the discovery of the look DNA has. Franklin (and Maurice Wilkins) used the technique called X-Ray crystallography in order to produce a diffraction pattern. With this pattern, they reconstructed the positions of the atoms in the molecules. They had discovered two forms of DNA, Form A and Form B. After their discovery of the two forms, they set up ways to figure out which one is which and why. Franklin didn’t know but Watson and Crick had access to her information. She died at the age of 37 due to cancer and Watson and Crick took advantage and claimed her work for themselves and they denied ever using her as help or a source. In other words, Watson and Crick stole the ideas of Rosalind Franklin.
III. James Watson and Francis Crick
James Dewey Watson was born in Chicago, Ill., on April 6th, 1928. He was an only child. Young Watson's entire boyhood was spent in Chicago where he attended for eight years Horace Mann Grammar School and for two years South Shore High School. He then received a tuition scholarship to the University of Chicago, and in the summer of 1943 entered their experimental four-year college. In 1947, he received a B.Sc degree in zoology, followed by his PhD in the year 1950. He soon met Crick and discovered their common interest in solving the DNA structure.
Francis Harry Compton Crick was born on June 8th, 1916, at Northampton, England. He was the elder child of Harry Crick and Annie Elizabeth Wilkins. He had one brother, A. F. Crick, who is a doctor in New Zealand. He studied physics at University College, London, in 1937, he obtained his B.Sc. He then began to work with his professor but this was short-lived because it was interrupted by the war. A critical influence in Crick's career was his friendship, beginning in 1951, with James Watson, then a young man of 23, leading in 1953 to the proposal of the double-helical structure for DNA and the replication scheme. Crick and Watson suggested a general theory for the structure of small viruses.
James Dewey Watson was born in Chicago, Ill., on April 6th, 1928. He was an only child. Young Watson's entire boyhood was spent in Chicago where he attended for eight years Horace Mann Grammar School and for two years South Shore High School. He then received a tuition scholarship to the University of Chicago, and in the summer of 1943 entered their experimental four-year college. In 1947, he received a B.Sc degree in zoology, followed by his PhD in the year 1950. He soon met Crick and discovered their common interest in solving the DNA structure.
Francis Harry Compton Crick was born on June 8th, 1916, at Northampton, England. He was the elder child of Harry Crick and Annie Elizabeth Wilkins. He had one brother, A. F. Crick, who is a doctor in New Zealand. He studied physics at University College, London, in 1937, he obtained his B.Sc. He then began to work with his professor but this was short-lived because it was interrupted by the war. A critical influence in Crick's career was his friendship, beginning in 1951, with James Watson, then a young man of 23, leading in 1953 to the proposal of the double-helical structure for DNA and the replication scheme. Crick and Watson suggested a general theory for the structure of small viruses.
IV. Impact DNA discovery had on the world
The impact the discovery of DNA created was huge, for it provided as an excellent source of direction for science and medicine. From identifying genes contributing to disease to developing pharmaceuticals to treat them, the discovery of genes lead to many advancements or breakthroughs forever changing science. In the field of medicine and genetic research, the discovery of DNA allowed for the improved ability to diagnosis disease, detect genetic predisposition to disease, create new drugs to treat disease, use gene therapy as treatment, and design "custom drugs" based on individual genetic profiles. The effects DNA discovery had were truly remarkable and were used in a vast majority of the aspects of life.
V. Journal ArticleDiscovery of DNA Structure and Function: Watson and Crick
The article “Discovery of DNA structure and Function: Watson and Crick” stated that the true discoverers of DNA were not only Watson and Crick for they stole the idea of DNA, (not to discredit them). This article states that Friedrich Miescher was the first to discover DNA and that occurred in 1869. After 50 years, the science community was finally made aware of the discovery made. In this time though, Miescher lost his credit for his work. This is why Watson and Crick are so famous; they stole the idea of another. This just shows how science experiments are conducted individually for if we combined our knowledge and ability, we’d be better off, but everyone wants credit and only they want credit for their work.
Videos about DNA:
The discovery of DNA- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf0YXnAFBs8
DNA structure- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy8dk5iS1f0&feature=related
DNA replication- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfZ8o9D1tus&feature=related
Watson and Crick- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiiFVSvLfGE&feature=related
Sources:
· The importance of DNA (2004). Retrieved from http://www.lifeindiscovery.com/dna/impact.html
· Pray, L. (2008) Discovery of DNA structure and function: Watson and Crick. Retrieved from http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/discovery-of-dna-structure-and-function-watson-397
· Pray, L. (2008) DNA replication and causes of mutation. Retrieved from http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/dna-replication-and-causes-of-mutation-409
· What is DNA? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.dna.gov/audiences/investigators/know/whatisdna
· Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958) (2006). Retrieved from http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/AB/BC/Rosalind_Franklin.php
· Othman, Jazilah Bte (2008). What Reading the Double Helix and the Dark Lady of DNA Can Teach Students (and Their Teachers) about Science. Gale: Cengage Learning.
· Edelson, Edward (1998). James Watson and Francis Crick and the Building Blocks of Life. New York: Oxford University Press.
· Maxim D. Frank-Kamenetskii Revised and Updated, Translated by Lev Liapin (1997). Unraveling DNA: The Most Important Molecule of Life. Reading, MA: Perseus books.
· Meyer, Anna (2005). Hunting the Double Helix: How DNA is Solving Puzzles of the Past.Crows Nest: Allen and Unwin.
The discovery of DNA- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf0YXnAFBs8
DNA structure- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy8dk5iS1f0&feature=related
DNA replication- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfZ8o9D1tus&feature=related
Watson and Crick- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiiFVSvLfGE&feature=related
Sources:
· The importance of DNA (2004). Retrieved from http://www.lifeindiscovery.com/dna/impact.html
· Pray, L. (2008) Discovery of DNA structure and function: Watson and Crick. Retrieved from http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/discovery-of-dna-structure-and-function-watson-397
· Pray, L. (2008) DNA replication and causes of mutation. Retrieved from http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/dna-replication-and-causes-of-mutation-409
· What is DNA? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.dna.gov/audiences/investigators/know/whatisdna
· Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958) (2006). Retrieved from http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/AB/BC/Rosalind_Franklin.php
· Othman, Jazilah Bte (2008). What Reading the Double Helix and the Dark Lady of DNA Can Teach Students (and Their Teachers) about Science. Gale: Cengage Learning.
· Edelson, Edward (1998). James Watson and Francis Crick and the Building Blocks of Life. New York: Oxford University Press.
· Maxim D. Frank-Kamenetskii Revised and Updated, Translated by Lev Liapin (1997). Unraveling DNA: The Most Important Molecule of Life. Reading, MA: Perseus books.
· Meyer, Anna (2005). Hunting the Double Helix: How DNA is Solving Puzzles of the Past.Crows Nest: Allen and Unwin.
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