-
Friedrich Miescher
He determined that DNA is not a protein and that it is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, but he never learned its function. He extracted DNA from the nucleus, which I found interesting. -
Frederick Griffith
He unexpectedly uncovered a clue about DNA's function. He used harmless (R) and lethal (S) cells. He discovered that heat destroyed the ability of lethal (S) bacteria that cause pneumonia, but does not destroy their hereditary material. He was studying pneumonia, but found out about DNA. -
Oswald Avery, Maclyn McCarty, and Colin McCleod
They discovered that DNA comes a cell's genetic material and can be altered through transformation. They showed that DNA can transform the properties of cells. Clarifying the chemical nature of genes. They identified DNA as the transforming principle. It contributed because previously scientists thought that traits like this were carried by proteins and that DNA was too simple to be genes. (interesting fact) -
Alfred Hershey and Martha Chase
They proved that DNA and not protein satisfies the first property of a hereditary molecule: It transmits a full complement of hereditary information. They specialized in working with bacteriophage, a virus that infects bacteria. Hershey and Chase carried out an elegant series of experiments proving that the material bacteriophage injects into DNA, not protein. -
Linus Pauling
Linus became known as the founder of molecular biology due to his discovery of the spiral structure of proteins. His discovery contributed to Watson and Crick's breakthrough of the double helix. It was interesting that he won a Nobel prize for his research into the nature of the chemical bond and its application to the elucidation of the structure of complex substances. -
Erwin Chargaff
He discovered that the amount of the nitrogen bases in DNA were roughly the same. His discovery that DNA is the primary constituent of the gene. Thereby helping to create a new approach to the study of the biology of heredity. Its interesting that it later became known as the first of Chargaff's rules. -
James Watson and Frances Crick
They discovered the structure of the DNA double helix. This marked a milestone in the history of science, which was very interesting. It contributed because it made people have knowledge about DNA and gave rise to modern molecular biology. -
Frederick Sanger
He received a Nobel prize for the discovery of the structure of the insulin molecule. He was widely considered to be one of the most influential biochemists in history, which is a very interesting fact. It contributed because it gave rise to diabetes and ways to treat disorders. -
Matthew Meselson and Franklin Stahl
This supported Watson and Crick's hypothesis that DNA replication was semiconservative. They decided the best way to tag the parent DNA would be to change one of the atoms in the parent DNA molecule. This contributes because they were still discovering the structure of DNA. -
Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins
They were also a part in discovering the DNA double helix. They shared the noble prize with Watson and Crick, which is very interesting. The determination of the structure of DNA contributed to helping discover the double helix. -
Paul Berg
This experiment led to the first man-made rDNA. His experiment opened the door to the invention of recombinant-DNA technology, which is very interesting. His experiment was gene spicing. -
Barbara McClintock
She discovered transposable elements through experimentation with maize. She studied the variegated color pattern of maize kernels, which involves three alleles rather than two. It contributes because she figured out how people were made through genetic material, which is very interesting. -
Kary Mullis
He discovered the polymerase chain reaction, which has to do with DNA replication. He won a noble prize for his invention, which is very interesting. This contributes because this is how people were made to have the same DNA as their parents. -
J. Craig Venter
He is known for leading the first draft sequence of the human genome and assembled the first team to transfect a cell with a synthetic chromosome, which is very interesting. This contributes because it is how the genome was made.
