SM1 Midterm Lab Exam Reviewer
SM1 Midterm Lab Exam Reviewer
Genetic Engineering
PROMINENT PIONEERS IN THE DISCOVERY OF DNA
FRIEDRICH MIESCHER
First scientist who identified nuclein in the nuclei of human White Blood Cells.
Isolated a purer form of nuclein from salmon sperm. These nucleins are now known as the DNA.
PHOEBUS LEVENE
A Russian-American Biochemist who identified the DNA components.
1929, he distinguished DNA from RNA when he identified that RNA contains ribose sugar, while
DNA contains deoxyribose sugar.
ROSALIND FRANKLIN
In 1952, she produced two sets of high-resolution photographs of DNA fibers using X-ray
Crystallography.
ERWIN CHARGAFF
In 1950, he made 2 major findings regarding NUCLEIC ACIDS.
First, the CHARGAFF’S RULES, states that in any double-stranded DNA molecule, the number of
GUANINE is equal to the number of CYTOSINE and the number of ADENINE is always equal to
the numbers of THYMINE.
The composition of DNA varies between species.
JAMES WATSON
In 1953, using the available X-RAY DATA PROVIDED by Rosalind Franklin and MODEL BUILDING,
Watson and Crick discovered the double-helix structure of DNA.
ANDRE BOIVIN
Along with Collete and Roger Vendrely, they found that THE NUCLEI OF GERM CELLS contained
only HALF OF THE AMOUNT OF DNA than that of somatic cells.
It demonstrated that the GENETIC CONTENT was CONSISTENT THROUGH ALL CELLS IN THE
BODY, and within a member of the SAME species.
The basis of this constancy came from the process of GAMETOGENESIS.
FRANCIS CRICK
In April 1953, Watson and Crick published a paper outlining their DNA double-helical structure in
the scientific journal “NATURE”.
They were awarded the Noble Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1962.
ARISTOTLE
He believed in the “THEORY OF PANGENESIS” which described HOW THESE TRAITS COULD BE
PASSED ON THE OFFSPRING.
Particles called “gemmules” enclosed these traits and allowed them to be transmitted to
reproductive cells.
SIR ARCHIBALD EDWARD GARROD
In 1902, he was the first person to relate Mendel’s theories with a human disease.
He collected information from the history of his patients and later worked with William Bateson.
He concluded that Alkaptonuria is a recessive disorder.
OSWALD AVERY
In 1944, he identified DNA as the “Transforming Principle” during his experiments on the
bacterium responsible for Pneumonia.
He discovered that if a live but harmless form of bacteria is mixed with a lethal form, the harmless
bacteria would soon become deadly because of nucleic acid.