-
Observing Microorganisms
Robert Hooke made the term "cells" and Anton Van Leeuwenhoek observed the first microorganisms with the newly invented microscope. -
Period: to
Before DNA
-
Laws of Inheritance
Gregor Mendal, an Austrain monk, came up with simple laws to predict certain traits for the offspring. -
Fermentation
Louis Pasteur described fermentation, established the science of microbiology, proposed the Germ Theory (claims that microorganisms cause diseases). -
White Blood Cells and Nucleic Acid
Johann Miescher found nucleic acid in white blood cells from pus in bandages. -
Period: to
DNA Science
-
Genes and Chromosomes
While studying fruit flies, Thomas Hunt Morgan discovered that genes were on chromosomes. -
Genetic Material
Fred Griffith, proved that genetic material could be moved from one strain of bacteria to another. -
Penicillin
Alexander Fleming isolated penicillin from a fungus. Many of his ideas are still in use today. -
DNA and Numbers
Erwin Chargaff showed that in DNA the number of units of adenine equaled those of thymine and the number of units of cytosine equaled those of guanine -
"One gene produces one enzyme" Hypothesis
Beadle and Tatum propsed this theory and in 1944, Avery, McCarty and McLeod established that DNA was the hereditary material that was transferred. -
DNA Plasmid
Hayes discovered plasmid DNA -
Blender Experiment
Hershey and Chase proved viruses replicated using DNA and confirmed the role of DNA as the hereditary material. -
DNA and Double Helix
Through X-ray crystallography, Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins confirmed DNA was a Double Helix -
DNA Structure
Watson and Crick Discovered the structure of DNA -
Gene Expression
Walter gilbert discovered the mechanism of gene expression through his study of messenger RNA -
Restriction Enzymes
Arber, Nathans, and Smith discovered bacterial restriction enzymes that cut DNA -
Amino Acids and Codons
Khorana and Nirenberg discovered the triplet code of 3 bases of DNA that code for the 20 amino acids making up proteins. -
Isolation of DNA Plasmids
DNA plasmids were isolated and purified by Vinograd -
Period: to
Recombinant DNA Technology and Beyond
-
Transformation of Bacterium
Madel and Higa were responsible for the first transformation of the bacterium Escherichia coli. -
Cloning
Cloning experiments wre conducted by Boyer and Cohen -
Genentech
The world's first genetic engineering company was founded, named Genentech -
rDNA in Microorganisms
140 scientists meet to make up guidelines for work with rDNA. Paul Berg was a key organizer -
DNA Sequencing
Sanger and Gilbert found a way to sequence DNA -
Insulin and E. Coli
Boyer inserted a synthetic insulin gene into E. coli -
Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism
Botstein found that pattern made of on'es DNA through a digest by different enzymes. This DNA fingerprint is called Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) -
In Vitro Fertilization
Louise Joy Brown was born, the first human baby resulting from in vitro fertilization. -
Startup of Biotech Companies
The U.S supreme court ruled that genetically altered life forms can be patented. Huge startup of biotech companies. -
Transgenic Animals
Ohio University scientists made the first transgenic animals -
Insulin and Bacteria
Eli Lilly Company placed a human insulin gene inside bacteria -
Agrobacterium-Mediated gene transfer
Schell, Chilton, Van Montagu, Fraley, and Horsch transformed plants with Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer -
PCR
Kary Mullis invented polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify DNA -
RFLP, DNA and Criminal Cases
RFLP in DNA profiling is being used to study criminal cases -
Automated Fluorescence Sequencer
Automated Fluorescence Sequencer was invented, speeding up the labor-intense process -
Gene Gun
Genes were moved into an organism through the use of a gene gun -
New Guidelines
NIH revised safety guidelines for recombinant DNA, which includes green house plants and animals raised in barns -
RNA Interference
Andrew Fire and Craig Mello discovered RNA interference, silencing of genes, in the worm C. elegans -
Monoclonal Antibody
Kohler, Milstein, and Jerne use monoclonal antibody technology -
YACs
At Washington University, YACs or "yeast artifcial chromosomes," are invented, which are vectors for large proteins -
Dolly the Sheep
Ian Wilmut cloned Dolly the sheep from an adult cell of a ewe sheep -
DNA Microarray
DNA microarray (DNA chip) technology, looking at the expression of all the genes of an organism at one time on a microscope slide -
Automated DNA Squencer
Dabiri and Garner invented an automated DNA sequencer that had the capability of sequencing 76,800 basse pairs per hour, 5 to 30 time faster. -
"Riboswitch"
Ron Breaker made the term "riboswitch" for part of an mRNA molecule -
Genome Project Completed
The completion of the Human Genome Project by Francis Collins and Craig Venter. This project provided the ability to find genes and sequencing other genomes.
