Two weeks ago marked the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA. This may not excite many, but it should. The explanation of the model and function of the DNA helix credited to James Watson and Francis Crick was one of, if not the, most important discovery in history.
The question that boggles the mind of every biologist is: What is life? Watson and Crick's discovery is a fantastic beginning. The common person is unfamiliar with the word, DNA. Its decoding allows scientists to decipher a language that educates scientists about disease and death. DNA sends criminals to prison and links the stain on an intern's skirt to the President of the United States. It takes our past back and proves modern humans did not interbreed with Neanderthals. Genetically modified food conjures controversy, and modified bacteria breaks down oil spills and saves the environment.
Watson and Crick discovered the simple structure that is, in essence, beautiful. It is amazing that DNA is so specific in its base pairing and functions. The structures of the sugars and elements that make up the molecule combine to form the double helix that is now the icon of modern science. So precise is the coding, even the smallest error leads to macroscopic dysfunction. A sequence of bases, individual to each person, leads to green eyes or short fingers. Physical properties are not the only attribute; scientists are acknowledging DNA's contribution to mental and emotional alterations.
Watson and Crick were two of many in the race for DNA. Although they were given the Nobel Prize, in Watson's best seller \The Double Helix,"" he mentions the chance of Linus Pauling and Rosalind Franklin revealing the structure prior to his and Crick's discovery in 1953. Rosalind Franklin, who was not credited in Watson and Crick's Nobel addresses in 1962, provided the last piece to the puzzle. Franklin's famous x-shaped x-ray image was the image that depicted the helical form of the molecule. ""Rosalind was only two steps away from the solution,"" writes Watson, ""she needed to realize the two strands run in opposite direction."" All must know that Franklin's contribution was significant, and her enthusiasm to use science for ""the improvement of the lot of mankind, present and future,"" is not unnoticed.
A mystery is still unsolved; DNA's sister molecule, RNA, might be the molecule requiring true fame as the 'central dogma' of molecular biology. This chicken-and-egg analogous pair keeps scientists wondering which came first. DNA encodes the information and RNA does the work. Scientists are now discovering sometimes the pecking order is reversed. This phenomenon, entitled RNA interference, is one of many unraveling underneath the microscopes of laboratory technicians.
Today, science is a fantastic place. From the unknown, Watson and Crick pulled a masterpiece that shines light in dark places. In their paper entitled ""Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids, a Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid,"" Watson and Crick stated, ""it has not escaped our notice that the specific pairing we have postulated immediately suggests a possible copying mechanism for the genetic material.""
There is no need for you to find a new love for science and genetics or embrace it in your arms, but understand that your life is in its hands.
