Solving the Structure of DNA

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Recommended: Describe the chemical structure of dna and its significance

The Double Helix by James Watson is his personal reflection on discovering the structure of the DNA molecule. With contributions of other scientists, James Watson and Francis Crick were able to solve the structure of DNA. Through contributions and integral relationships of Watson and Crick to Maurice Wilkins, Rosalind Franklin, Linus Pauling, and other smaller contributors the DNA structure was finally solved. The first and primary contribution to solving the DNA structure was the relationship of Crick and Watson. Without their teamwork and determination, another scientist would have discovered the structure before them. One of Crick’s bigger contributions was discovering the gene is self-replicating. After talking with John Griffith, Crick came up with the idea that the gene is self-replicating, meaning the gene has the ability “to be exactly copied when the chromosome number doubles during cell division”(126). With further discussion with Griffith, Francis believed that DNA replication involved specific attractive forces between the flat surfaces of the bases (128). One of Watson’s major contributions was after seeing the B form of DNA by Franklin, Watson knew that the structure of DNA was two-chained and that led to the building of the model of DNA (171). Also through research, Watson became aware that adenine and thymine pair together and are held by two hydrogen bonds that were identical in shape to the guanine and cytosine pair held together by at least two hydrogen bonds (194). This discovery showed that the two chains of DNA are complementary to each other. With these individual contributions coming together, Watson and Crick successfully were able to piece together the structure of DNA. Linus Pauling was another indiv... ... middle of paper ... ...e molecules, as guanine molecules were similar in number to cytosine molecules (125). Chargaff gathered that DNA of some organisms had excess of A and T, while other forms had excess of G and C (126). With these smaller contributions, Watson and Crick were able to solve the intricate structure of DNA. With the solving of the structure of DNA, everything was put aside for the betterment of biology. Rivalries were put aside because everyone understood the importance of this discovery. All these scientists had a part in aiding in the discovery of the structure of DNA. The discovery of the structure of DNA was not done by only two men, but of many other contributors. With the knowledge gained by other contributors, Watson and Crick were able to finally identify the structure of DNA. Works Cited Watson, James D. The Double Helix. New York: Touchstone, 2001. Print.

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