History of Genetics

  • Mendel

    Mendel's paper is published: units of inheritance in pairs; dominance and recessiveness; equal segregation; independent assortment. These ideas are not recognized for 34 years.
  • DNA

    DNA (first called "nuclein") is identified by Friedrich Miescher as an acidic substance found in cell nuclei
  • First genetic disease discovery

    A human disease is first attributed to genetic causes ("inborn errors of metabolism"). (Sir Archibald Garrod, alkaptonuria)
  • Watson and Crick

    DNA is in the shape of a double helix with antiparallel nucleotide chains and specific base pairing. This was deduced by Watson and Crick, who used Rosalind Franklin's data provided by Maurice Wilkins.

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