History of Nucleic Acid Chemistry: Difference between revisions
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(Added structures of the G:C and A:T base pairs. Hydrogen bond not yet identified in 1957 in the G:C base pair is highlighted in red.) |
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=== Milestones === | === Milestones === | ||
[[File:Guanine Cytosine base pair red bond.png|right|thumb|Depiction of the G:C base pair with the hydrogen bond not yet identified in the 1957 paper highlighted in red.]] | |||
[[File:Adenine Thymine base pair.png|right|thumb|Depiction of the A:T base pair.]] | |||
==== Isolation of DNA ==== | ==== Isolation of DNA ==== | ||
The person credited with being the first to isolate DNA was the Swiss physician Friedrich Miescher. He called the biochemical substance rich in phosphorus "nuclein". The initial work is dated as having occurred in early 1869.<ref>R. Dahm, Friedrich Miescher and the discovery of DNA. Devel. Biol. 2005, 278, 274-288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2004.11.028</ref> Miescher worked at the University of Tübingen at the time, and did not know what the function of nuclein was. | The person credited with being the first to isolate DNA was the Swiss physician Friedrich Miescher. He called the biochemical substance rich in phosphorus "nuclein". The initial work is dated as having occurred in early 1869.<ref>R. Dahm, Friedrich Miescher and the discovery of DNA. Devel. Biol. 2005, 278, 274-288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2004.11.028</ref> Miescher worked at the University of Tübingen at the time, and did not know what the function of nuclein was. | ||
'''Structure of the DNA double helix''' | '''Structure of the DNA double helix''' | ||
The correct structure of the DNA double helix was published by Watson and Crick in two milestone papers in 1957.<ref>Watson, J. D.; Crick, F. H. Molecular structure of nucleic acids; a structure for deoxyribose nucleic acid. ''Nature'' '''1953''', ''171'', 737-738. https://doi.org/10.1038/171737a0</ref><ref>Watson, J. D.; Crick, F. H. Genetical implications of the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid. ''Nature'' '''1953''', ''171'', 964-967. https://doi.org/10.1038/171964b0 | The correct structure of the DNA double helix was published by Watson and Crick in two milestone papers in 1957.<ref>Watson, J. D.; Crick, F. H. Molecular structure of nucleic acids; a structure for deoxyribose nucleic acid. ''Nature'' '''1953''', ''171'', 737-738. https://doi.org/10.1038/171737a0</ref><ref>Watson, J. D.; Crick, F. H. Genetical implications of the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid. ''Nature'' '''1953''', ''171'', 964-967. https://doi.org/10.1038/171964b0 | ||
</ref> The diffraction data was not from their own work, and the G:C base pair was incorrectly assumed to have only two hydrogen bonds. Still, the structure was a major breakthrough, as it explained how genetic information is stored and passed on to the next generation. | </ref> The diffraction data was not from their own work, and the G:C base pair was incorrectly assumed to have only two hydrogen bonds. Still, the structure was a major breakthrough, as it explained how genetic information is stored and passed on to the next generation. | ||
Revision as of 14:52, 3 September 2024
The History of Nucleic Acid Chemistry
Milestones
Isolation of DNA
The person credited with being the first to isolate DNA was the Swiss physician Friedrich Miescher. He called the biochemical substance rich in phosphorus "nuclein". The initial work is dated as having occurred in early 1869.[1] Miescher worked at the University of Tübingen at the time, and did not know what the function of nuclein was.
Structure of the DNA double helix The correct structure of the DNA double helix was published by Watson and Crick in two milestone papers in 1957.[2][3] The diffraction data was not from their own work, and the G:C base pair was incorrectly assumed to have only two hydrogen bonds. Still, the structure was a major breakthrough, as it explained how genetic information is stored and passed on to the next generation.
References
- ↑ R. Dahm, Friedrich Miescher and the discovery of DNA. Devel. Biol. 2005, 278, 274-288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2004.11.028
- ↑ Watson, J. D.; Crick, F. H. Molecular structure of nucleic acids; a structure for deoxyribose nucleic acid. Nature 1953, 171, 737-738. https://doi.org/10.1038/171737a0
- ↑ Watson, J. D.; Crick, F. H. Genetical implications of the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid. Nature 1953, 171, 964-967. https://doi.org/10.1038/171964b0