DNA Timeline

By Vincent Weisman

  • Gregor Mendel

    Gregor Mendel
    Mendel discovers the basic principles of genetics. Mendel tried to cross breed pea plants, discovering 7 characteristics: plant height, pod shape and color, seed shape and color, and flower position and color. Mendel is considered the father of genetics.

  • Meischer

    Meischer
    In 1870, Friedrich Miescher isolated "nuclein," DNA with associated proteins, from cell nuclei. He was the first to identify DNA as a distinct molecule.

  • Griffith

    Griffith
    Griffith discovered that heat can turn harmless bacteria into fatal bacteria.

  • Oswald Avery

    Oswald Avery
    Avery and his colleagues discovered that DNA was a transforming factor when they tried to destroy it using enzymes.

  • Chargraff

    Chargraff
    Chargraff discovered the reasoning behind base pairing.

  • Franklin and Wilkins

    Franklin and Wilkins
    Franklin and Wilkins discovered and studied the structure of DNA.

  • Hershey and Chase

    Hershey and Chase
    Hershey and Chase discovered that DNA is in the nuclei of all cells.

  • Watson and Crick

    Watson and Crick
    Using the past research from Chargraff, Franklin, and Wilkins, Watson and Crick discovered the shape of DNA, comparing the structure to a double helix.

  • The RNA Tie Club

    The RNA Tie Club
    Following Watson and Crick's discovery, George Gamow created the RNA Tie Club to try and decipher the genetic codes. There were 20 members who each wore unique ties that symbolized a certain amino acid.