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The History of DNA Structure Discovery. 1869 – Johann Miescher. Studied the nuclei of white blood cells Isolated the material using HCl ( aq ) and digestive proteins Named the substance nuclein Found the material was rich in nitrogen and phosphorus. 1919 – Pheobus Levene.
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1869 – Johann Miescher • Studied the nuclei of white blood cells • Isolated the material using HCl(aq) and digestive proteins • Named the substance nuclein • Found the material was rich in nitrogen and phosphorus
1919 – Pheobus Levene • Discovered that DNA was made up of chains of nucleotides NITROGEN RICH ACID RIBOSE
1920 – DNA vs Protein • thought that 4 nucleotides were connected in the same repeated pattern • protein have 20 amino acids which could be combined in many combinations
1928 – Frederick Griffith • studied two strains of pneumococcus bacteria • rough strain = nonvirulent • injection into mouse did not result in death • smooth strain = virulent • injection caused mouse to die • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQOdDGM5vSg
Griffith’s Conclusions • some “factor” from the dead, virulent smooth strain “transformed” the living, non-virulent rough strain • non-virulent rough strain picked up DNA to become virulent
nucleus at bottom of stalk 1930 – Joachim Hammerling Acetabularia – type of alga
Hammerling’s Experiment Hereditary information is stored in the nucleus. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl5KkUnH6y0 no regrowth
1944 – Avery, McCarty & MacLeod • continued Griffith’s work with pneumococcus
1940s – Joshua Lederberg • demonstrated bacterial conjugation • bacteria can exchange DNA • bacteria have no nucleus or chromosomes • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7stZk6TesKk
1940s – Edwin Chargaff • for all organisms A = T and G = C Chargaff’s Rule • organisms with more Gs and Cs tend to be more complex
1952 – Hershey & Chase • conducted experiments to definitively show that DNA is the hereditary material • bacteriophage used to infect bacteria • bacterial virus • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QJ4CjFsflA
X-ray Crystallography • physics approach to examining biological molecules • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tmNf6ec2kU Start at 14:35
Rosalind Franklin’s X-rays The photo indicated: • Backbone of alternating phosphate and sugars • Backbone is a helical structure • Double helix structure (molecule is a uniform helix) • Nitrogenous bases are in the middle of the molecule • Bases are at right angles to the backbone
Base Pairing • knew that each base could pair with itself
1953 – James Watson & Francis Crick • inspired by alpha-helix model of proteins • determined howA + T and G + C bonded together • width of purine + pyrimidine bonds fit perfectly between the sugar-phosphate backbone • the double helix model offered an easy method for replication