Unveiling the Wonders of DNA | MSK Online| WHAT IS DNA ?

DNA Details

Organism: Human
Chromosomes: 23
Base Pairs: 3.2 billion
Genes: approximately 20,000-25,000
Discovered by: James Watson and Francis Crick
Discovery Year: 1953

Structure: double helix

Functions:

Storage and transmission of genetic information

Determining the traits and characteristics of an organism

Influencing various biological processes such as protein synthesis

Notable Discoveries:

Identification of DNA as the genetic material

Elucidation of the double helix structure

Understanding the mechanism of DNA replication

Discovery Details:
James Watson and Francis Crick, along with the help of Rosalind Franklin's X-ray diffraction image of DNA, made significant contributions to the discovery of DNA's structure. In 1953, they proposed the double helix model for DNA, which demonstrated how the two strands of DNA are twisted around each other. This breakthrough in understanding the structure of DNA laid the foundation for comprehending its functions and implications in heredity and genetics.