Double Helix
Austin Wilmot
Biotechnology
Russo
4/21/13
There were many pieces of evidence that led Watson and Crick to their discovery of the structure of DNA. This included Chargaff’s rules, X-ray diffraction studies, and the use of brass and wire models of sugars, and phosphate groups. This revelation contributed heavily to scientific research and studies. They deduced that from their studies that DNA is structured in a Double Helix. With all of the evidence they accumulated they were able to achieve as well as build something great, with such a huge impact on the world. One piece of evidence they used to determine the structure of DNA was X-ray diffraction studies. X-ray diffraction is the scattering of x rays on an atom showing off the structure of the crystal. There were many people who worked on X-ray diffraction such names as Maurice Wilkins, Rosalind Franklin, and Linus Pauling. The most important of these would Rosalind Franklin. Franklin started working as an assistant for Maurice Wilkins to teach him the procedure of X-ray differentiation. Watson and Crick were very skeptical of this procedure at the beginning. However after seeing an image by Rosalind Franklin, shown to Watson by Maurice Wilkins, they were fully on board with X-ray diffraction. It was called the B model obviously imposing on the once thought correct A model. What changed their minds was a picture of X-ray diffraction proving the heliacal structure of DNA. Maurice told Watson and crick that the backbones of the structure have to be on the outside, which Watson, Crick, and Pauling all had wrong in their ideas of the structures of DNA. With this new Image Watson and Crick were able to construct a finer on point structure of DNA. This use of X-ray diffraction led to a complete change in the science community.
As well as X-ray diffraction, they also used the guidelines set out by Chargaff’s rules. Erwin Chargaff was an Austrian- born biochemist. Chargaff and his students had been
Biotechnology
Russo
4/21/13
There were many pieces of evidence that led Watson and Crick to their discovery of the structure of DNA. This included Chargaff’s rules, X-ray diffraction studies, and the use of brass and wire models of sugars, and phosphate groups. This revelation contributed heavily to scientific research and studies. They deduced that from their studies that DNA is structured in a Double Helix. With all of the evidence they accumulated they were able to achieve as well as build something great, with such a huge impact on the world. One piece of evidence they used to determine the structure of DNA was X-ray diffraction studies. X-ray diffraction is the scattering of x rays on an atom showing off the structure of the crystal. There were many people who worked on X-ray diffraction such names as Maurice Wilkins, Rosalind Franklin, and Linus Pauling. The most important of these would Rosalind Franklin. Franklin started working as an assistant for Maurice Wilkins to teach him the procedure of X-ray differentiation. Watson and Crick were very skeptical of this procedure at the beginning. However after seeing an image by Rosalind Franklin, shown to Watson by Maurice Wilkins, they were fully on board with X-ray diffraction. It was called the B model obviously imposing on the once thought correct A model. What changed their minds was a picture of X-ray diffraction proving the heliacal structure of DNA. Maurice told Watson and crick that the backbones of the structure have to be on the outside, which Watson, Crick, and Pauling all had wrong in their ideas of the structures of DNA. With this new Image Watson and Crick were able to construct a finer on point structure of DNA. This use of X-ray diffraction led to a complete change in the science community.
As well as X-ray diffraction, they also used the guidelines set out by Chargaff’s rules. Erwin Chargaff was an Austrian- born biochemist. Chargaff and his students had been