Dna
Dna
Dna
Although James Watson and Francis Crick have the most credit for the
discovery of DNA, scientists like Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins
made significant contributions through X-ray crystallography,
providing crucial insights into the structure of DNA. Watson and Crick's
collaborative efforts, fueled by data from Franklin and Wilkins
culminated in finding DNA's double helix structure, a feat that
revolutionised biology. DNA was first identified in the 1860s by a Swiss
chemist called Johann Friedrich Miescher. As with many biological
discoveries, this was done by accident. Johann initially set out to
discover components of white blood cells. Here, he noticed that when
acid was added to a solution of white blood cells, a substance
separated from the solution. This substance then redissolved with the
addition of alkali. Johann named the substance nuclein, as he believed
it came from the nucleus. Many additional experiments followed, and
his results were not published until 1874.
The discovery of DNA's double helix structure unveiled the blueprint for
all living organisms. This breakthrough not only revealed how genetic
information is passed from one generation to the next but also laid the
foundation for understanding heredity, evolution, and molecular
biology. The significance of this discovery reverberates across scientific
disciplines, fueling advancements in genetics, evolutionary biology, and
biotechnology.