Biochemistry, DNA Structure

Excerpt

The remarkable structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), from the nucleotide up to the chromosome, plays a crucial role in its biological function. The ability of DNA to function as the material through which genetic information is stored and transmitted is a direct result of its elegant structure. In their seminal 1953 paper, Watson and Crick unveiled two aspects of DNA structure: pairing the nucleotide bases in a complementary fashion (e.g., adenine with thymine and cytosine with guanine) and the double-helical nature of DNA.

Their proposed model for DNA structure explained previous observations, such as the equivalent ratios of purines and pyrimidines found in the DNA molecules. It also provided a framework for the subsequent elucidation of the mechanism involved in DNA replication.