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Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is the genetic material that stores information in cells. The discovery of the structure of DNA has had profound impact on medicine, biotechnology and law.
Discovery
James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the double-helical structure of DNA in 1953. They based their conclusion on a X-ray crystallographic image taken by Rosalind Franklin in 1952.
Significance
Knowing the structure of DNA led to the sequencing of the genetic code. A strand of DNA is a series of nucleotides, numbering in the billions. The entire strand consists of only four nitrogen bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine. Mapping out the order of these bases in DNA led to several applications.
Medicines
Drugs can be designed to inhibit the production of certain proteins that cause disease by targeting the genetic sequence that produces them.
Biotechnology
The DNA of an organism can be manipulated by molecular cloning or genetic engineering. This is used in vaccine production and to produce crops that are resistant to pests and diseases.
Law
DNA testing in criminal cases establishes guilt or innocence. DNA testing is also used to determine paternity cases.
Source:
PBS Library: The Discovery of DNA's Structure
Biology Learning Center at University of Arizona: Introduction to DNA Structure
Explore DNA: Drugs Targeting DNA Proteins
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