Essay on The Discovery Of The Structure Of DNA - 1526 Words

James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the structure of DNA, but only by drawing on the work of many scientists who came before them. (Maddox, 2003) In 1944, Oswald T. Avery, Colin M. MacLeod, and Maclyn McCarty published â€Å"Studies on the Chemical Nature of the Substance Inducing Transformation of Pneumococcal Types†, which was the first scientific work to identify DNA as the molecule that carried genetic information, and became a breakthrough at that time. (Avery, Macleod, McCarty, 1944) Before Avery and coworkers published their paper, there was very little interest in DNA among scientists in the field of genetics. Very little was known about DNA, however, early analyses suggested that it was a very simple molecule, at least in†¦show more content†¦Griffith worked with two strains of the bacteria pneumococcus, named according to the appearance the colonies grown from each strain. The S-strain possessed a polysaccharide coat and formed large, smooth colon ies. The R-strain did not have a polysaccharide covering, and grew in small, rough colonies. In addition to influencing colony appearance, the polysaccharide shell also protected the S-strain from the host immune response. Griffith noticed that mice injected with the S-strain eventually became ill and died, while mice injected with the R-strain suffered no ill effects. He also noted that S-strain pneumococci that had been killed by heat caused no harm. But Griffith’s breakthrough came when he found that mice injected with a mixture of live R-strain and heat-killed S-strain died from infection. Furthermore, he was able to isolate live S-strain bacteria from these dead mice. From this, Griffith was able to conclude that the heat-killed cells contained a â€Å"transforming code† capable of changing the harmless R-strain bacteria into the pathogenic S-strain. Francis Crick and James Watson are recognized as the main scientists involved in the identification of DNA and its structure, which is one of the most important discoveries of the twentieth century. However, were it not for Rosalind Franklin, Linus Pauling, Colin Avery and Maurice Wilkins, the two men would likely not have madeShow MoreRelatedThe Discovery Of The Structure Of Dna1089 Words   |  5 PagesRosalind Franklin and her Contribution to the Structure of DNA Specific Purpose: To enable the audience to reflect on how Rosalind Franklin contributed to the discovery of the structure of DNA. Introduction: I. Open with Impact: Could you having a significant role in one of the greatest scientific achievements of all time, but not getting credit for it? Not only that, but constantly putting yourself in harm’s way to make this discovery, and eventually dying because of it? II. Thesis Statement:Read MoreThe Discovery Of The Dna Structure2092 Words   |  9 PagesOne of the most important things discovered and understood in biology within science, has been the discovery of the DNA structure. Where DNA is the abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid, though it is more known by nearly everyone simply as DNA. The idea behind DNA is that it is a self-replicating material that can be found in all living organisms, especially humans. The structure of DNA was solved in the year 1953, and was solved by four very important scientists who were; Francis Crick, RosalindRead More Discovery of the Structure of DNA Essay2374 Words   |  10 PagesDiscovery of the Structure of DNA On the last day of February in 1953, according to James Watson, Francis Crick announced to the patrons of the Eagle Pub in Cambridge, â€Å"We have discovered the secret of life† (Watson 115, 1980). 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There are four main scientists who contributed their lives, knowledge, and ambitions to find out the DNA doubleRead MoreBiology : Structure Of Dna818 Words   |  4 PagesBiology: Structure of DNA The article â€Å"The Structure of DNA: Cooperation and Competition† by the Understanding Science team (the author is Stephanie Stuart, with the editor Anna Thanukos, and the web producers David Smith and Josh Frankel) begins with the history of the discovery of DNA. â€Å"During the early 1950s, the intellectual journeys of a bird biologist, an expert on the structure of coal, a designer of underwater mines, and a nuclear physicist intersected, resulting—not in aRead MoreThe Structure Of Dn Cooperation And Competition949 Words   |  4 PagesThe Structure of DNA: Cooperation and Competition PRACTICAL PROBLEM: The question â€Å"How do living things pass on their traits to offspring† had long been on the minds of researchers. CURIOSITY: Curiosity was a trait of all those who wondered about that question. Gregor Mendel was just one of those people leading up to the four who discovered the structure of DNA. The four people who discovered the structure of DNA built upon the EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY of others: At the time of this discoveryRead MoreThe Importance of the Structure of Dna1582 Words   |  7 PagesKa Zhu The Importance of the Structure of DNA Understanding ideas at a macroscopic scale is simple. Looking at a clock, observing and understanding the movements of the hands over the numbered surface are, in essence, all one requires to use the device. In order for innovation to occur, it is imperative to understand the inner workings of the device on a microscopic scale to modulate its properties. Such is the case for many innovations in science, from the heat engine to penicillin, and is noRead MoreCharles Crick And James Watson On The Structure Of The Complex Molecule Known As Dna Essay1293 Words   |  6 Pageswas awarded to Francis Crick and James Watson for formulating the structure of the complex molecule known as DNA. These discoveries were a direct result of the accumulation of many scientists’ earlier analyses and findings of the DNA. Before Watson and Crick had developed the double-helical structure of DNA, indication of this genetic material had been revealed around the 1850’s. During the century fol lowing the first evidence of DNA, subsequent researchers had been eagerly examining the physical andRead MoreHeredity And Its Impact On The Field Of Heredity976 Words   |  4 Pagesto occur, and this happens during meiosis and fertilization. Throughout history we have seen significant discoveries in the field of heredity. Some of the most well known scientists in this field of heredity are Gregor Mendel, Erwin Chargaff, Rosalind Franklin and finally James Watson and Francis Crick. In 1856 to 1863, Gregor Mendel conducted a series of experiments that lead to his discovery of the fundamental laws of genetics. His research was published in 1866 but it wasn’t fully accepted untilRead MoreContributions Of The Structure Of Dna1683 Words   |  7 Pages Contributions to the Discovery of the Structure of DNA In the early 1950s, James Watson, Francis Crick, Rosalind Franklin, Maurice Wilkins and Erwin Chargaff had revolutionized molecular biology through their ground-breaking discoveries, which offered an astonishing view of the molecular mechanisms that underlie all lives. The structure of DNA was ultimately revealed by Watson and Crick in 1953. The specific pairings that Watson and Crick postulated allows an accurate copying mechanism for the