Title: Race for the Double Helix 3
1Class Notes On The Main Characters from the Race
for the Double Helix Slides created by Honors
Genetics Classes
2James D. Watson
April 6, 1928 Nationality English,
Scottish, Irish
3Educational Background
- As a boy James Watson spent eight years at Horace
Mann Grammar school in Chicago, and two years at
South Shore High School
- In the summer of 1943, James received a
scholarship to the University of Chicago
- James received a B.Sc and a Ph.D in Zoology from
Indiana University
- In 1950, James spent a year in Copenhagen, as a
member of the National Research Council
- He began work at the Cavendish laboratory in
October of 1952
- For two years Waston attended the California
Institute of Technology as a Senior Research
Fellow in Biology
- In 1955 Watson returned to Cavendish and worked
with crick, publishing several papers on the
principals of virus construction
- In 1956 Watson began working at Harvard, and is
still involved there
4Watson and Crick
5Personal Life
- James Watson was born on April 6, 1928 in
Chicago, the city where he lived for the
beginning of his life
- Watson had a deep interest in bird watching and
he did so throughout most of his life
- Watsons interest in bird watching lead to an
even deeper interest in understanding genetics
- James married former Elizabeth Lewis and had two
sons, named Rufus and Duncan
- Watsons recreational activities were walking and
bird watching, both which he still enjoys doing
6Research Focus
- First effort in constructing DNA model in 1951
(was unsatisfactory)
- Second effort based upon experimental evidence of
the nucleic acid literature which resulted in the
proposal of complementary double helical
configuration
- At the same time, Watson was investigating the
structure of TMV(a virus), using X-ray
diffraction techniques. The purpose of this was
to determine if its sub-units were helically
arranged
- Watson and Crick suggested that the model was
made of two chains of nucleotides, each in a
helix, but biparallel. Matching base pairs
interlocked in the middle of the double helix to
keep the distance between the chain constant
- Watson worked on the Human Genome Project from
1988 to 1992
- Then he continued his research on Cold Springs
Harbor before becoming the head of the
institution in 1994
7Watson and Crick with DNA model
8Francis Harry Compton crick
Born on June 8th, 1916, at Northampton, England
Oldest child of Harry Crick and Annie Elizabeth
Wilkins.
He has one brother, A.F. Crick, who is a doctor
in New Zealand.
During the war he worked as a scientist for the
British Admiralty, mainly in connection with
magnetic and acoustic mines. He left the
Admiralty in 1947 to study biology.
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10Background Continued
- Crick was forced to stop because of the war in
1939. He began working for the British Admiralty
with magnetic and acoustic mines. In 1947, he
left to study Biology.
11Scientific Characteristics
- Watson is wifty. Although he is very dedicated to
finding the structure of the model of DNA his
work didnt compare to that of Rosalind Franks.
Watson went around with crick and collected
information to deduce the final structure of DNA
- Watson enjoyed his job and felt joy in doing his
experiments, but he also enjoyed having a good
time at social gatherings and such.
12 Watson receiving his Nobel prize
13Francis Harry Compton Crick
- Thanks to financial help by his family and a
studentship from the Medical Research Council,
Crick began working in Strangeways Research
Laboratory. Shortly after he joined the Medical
Research Council Unit and studied molecular
biology. He eventually obtained a Ph.D in 1954
after his studies with polypeptides and proteins.
In 1947, Crick knew no biology, no organic
chemistry, and practically no crystallography, so
much of the next years was spent learning these
subjects. Throughout the next few years, Crick
worked with W. Cochran and V. Vand, figuring out
the general theory of x-ray diffraction of the
helix as he grew more knowledgeable in these
fields.
14Educational Background
- Francis Harry Compton Crick was educated at
Northampton Grammer School and Mill Hill School,
London. He furthered his education on physics at
University College, London, where he obtained a
B.Sc. In 1937. He began doing research for a
Ph.D. under Prof E. N. da C. Andrade.
15Because of his education, experience, and hard
work, Francis Harry Compton Crick was able to be
apart of a team who helped discover one of the
largest mysteries of life. That discovery was
DNA.
Adenine
Cytosine
Guanine
Thymine
16REASEARCH FOCUS
- Crick began working at Cambridge learning
Biology, organic chemistry, and x-ray diffraction
technology. - He was investigating the structure of proteins.
- When Crick and Watson joined each other they
began to make models of DNA based on previous
research and they used Franklins x-ray
diffraction technology. - Crick eventually created a correct model for DNA
along with Watson and was awarded the Nobel prize
in 1962.
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18INFLUENCES
- A critical influence in Cricks career was his
friendship with J.D Watson, which lead to the
proposal of the double helical structure for DNA
and the general theory for the structure of
viruses. Crick has also collaborated with many
scientists such as A. Rich , S. Brenner, and D.R.
Davies on his advances in the field of genetic
code, structure of polyadenylic acid, and other
elements of biochemistry helping to shape and
perfect his scientific characteristics.
19The Scientific Characteristics of Francis Crick
- Cricks original interest lied in Physics, which
he studied at University College in London,
working towards his masters degree. His studies
were interrupted by the outbreak of the war in
1939. - During the the war, Crick worked as a scientist
for the British Admiralty, mainly in connection
wit magnetic and acoustic mines. In 1947,
however, he left the Admiralty to study biology.
20- In 1941 she graduated from Cambridge
- Then she started working on her doctorate. Her
focus was on charcoal and coal, and how to use
them efficiently. - She published five papers on the subject and had
her PhD before she was 26 years old.
21 Rosalind Franklin
-
- Satisfaction doesnt come from knowing the
solution. It comes from knowing why its the
solution.
22Rosalinds Structure of DNA
- Form B vs. Form A
- Wet vs. Dry
- Where are the phosphates located?
- Helix or no helix?
23Coal A Valuable Natural Resource
- Resource management information
- High-strength carbon fibers
- Energy production with the help of graphite
- Classification system
24Structural Virology
- Tobacco Mosaic Virus
- X-ray diffraction contribution to immunology
- Polio virus
25X-Ray Diffraction
- What is X-Ray Diffraction?
- The most beautiful X-ray photographs of any
substance ever taken (J.D. Bernal)
26 Education
- The all girls school, that she attended in
London, taught her chemistry and physics. At the
age of 15 she decided she wanted to be a
scientist. - In 1938 she passed the examination for Cambridge
University. - Her father refused to pay because he didnt
approve of university education for women. - Her mother and aunt stepped in and they said they
would pay for it.
27 1958
- Rosalind found out that she had ovarian cancer
and continued to work. - She went through three operations and
experimental chemotherapy. - She had one remission that lasted 10 months.
- She worked up until a few weeks before her death
at the age of 37.
28Maurice Wilkins
- Born on December 15, 1916
- Nationality New Zealand, British, and Irish
29Personal Life
Noble Prize Winners, December 1962 Maurice
Wilkins, Max Perutz, Francias Crick, John
Steinbeck, James Watson, and John Kendrew
30Maurice Hugh Fredrick Wilkins was born at
Pongaroa, New Zealand on December 15th, 1916
after his parents left Ireland. His father,
Edgar Henry Wilkins was a doctor in the School
Medical Service and was very interested in
research but had little opportunity for it.
31Wilkins was elected F.R.S. in 1959, given the
Albert Lasker Award with Watson and Crick by the
American Public Health Association in 1960, and
made Companion of the British Empire in 1962.
32He married Patricia Ann Chidgey in 1959 and they
have two children. They have a daughter named
Sarah, and a son George. He finds recreation in
collecting sculptures and in gardening.
33Maurice Wilkins
Educational Background
-At the age of 6 he was brought to England and
educated at King Edwards school in Birmingham.
-He studied Physics at St. Johns College and
received his degree in 1938.
-Then he went to Birmingham University and was
research assistant to J.T. Randall in the Physics
Department. Where they studied the luminescence
of solids. In 1940 he obtained a Ph.D.
-In 1945 he was a lecturer in physics at St.
Andrews University, Scotland, where J.T. Randall
was organizing biophysical studies.
-In 1946 he went to Kings College where he
studied the orientation of purines and
pyrimidines.
34Research Focus Of Maurice Wilkins
1938-Physics degree from St. Johns College,
Cambridge 1940-Obtained Ph.D, thesis on a study
of thermal stability of trapped electrons in
phosphors, and on the theory of
phosphoresence-Applied this to war based problems
like improving cathode ray tube screens for
radar 1943-Manhattan Project-American wartime
nuclear physics project-Research led to
completion of nuclear weapons, dropped on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading Wilkins to become
a strong opponent of them 1945-Had spent 7 years
in physics, and decided to begin biophysics, a
new and appealing concept to Wilkins
35Research Focus Of Maurice Wilkins
1946-Member of new Medical Research Council
Biophysics Research Unit at Kings College,
London-First studied genetic effects of
ultrasonics-then moved on to development of
reflecting microscopes for UV micro-spectrophotome
try of nucleic acids in cells-To name a few
others-UV dichroism of oriented specimens,
arrangement of virus particles of TMV, dry mass
in cells with interference microscopes, and X-ray
diffraction studies of DNA and sperm heads-Led
tofiguring out molecular structure of DNA,
establishing the correct Watson-Crick DNA
structure
36Research Focus Of Maurice Wilkins
1950-Produced first images of DNA 1953-Using a
1952 X-ray diffraction photo from Wilkins and
Franklin, Watson and Crick built the correct and
precise model of DNA 1962-The Nobel Prize was
given to Watson, Wilkins, and Crick, for
Physiology and Medicine because of their
discoveries 1997-Wrote book titled Crick, Watson,
and DNA, which explained the tension in the
relationship between he and Franklin-he wasnt
sure how to act with a woman in his laboratory-
when they first met he assumed she was his
assistant-Said lab was very abnormal
37 Scientific Characteristics
The DNA Enabler
38- Studied Physics at St. Johns College
- (PhD in 1940 thesis Thermal Stability of
trapped electronsin phosphors, and the theory of
phosphorescence)
- applied knowledge to war time problems
(improvement of cathode ray tube screens for
radar)
- Worked on the Manhattan Project (now opposes
nuclear weapons)
39- Changed emphasis to BIOPHYSICS
- 1946- worked at Kings College, London as a member
on the staff of the newly formed Medical
Research Council Biophysics Research Unit
-X-Ray Crystallography (applied to biology)
-Genetic effects of ultrasonics
-development of reflecting microscopes for
ultraviolet microspectrophotometry (nucleic acids
in cells)
-DOUBLE HELIX (orientation of purines and
pyrimidines in virus)