Class Notes On The Main
Characters from the Race for the
Double Helix
Slides created by Honors Genetics Classes
James D. Watson
April 6, 1928 –
Nationality: English, Scottish, Irish
Educational 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
Watson and Crick
•
Personal 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
Watson’s 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
Watson’s recreational activities were walking and bird watching,
both which he still enjoys doing
Research 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
Watson and Crick with DNA model
•
Francis 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.
Are you enjoying the show?
Background 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.
Scientific Characteristics
Watson is wifty. Although he is very dedicated to finding the
structure of the model of DNA his work didn’t compare to that of
Rosalind Frank’s. 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.
Watson receiving his Nobel prize
• 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.
Educational 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.
Because 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
• 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 xray diffraction technology.
• Crick eventually created a correct
model for DNA along with Watson
and was awarded the Nobel prize in
1962.
• A critical influence in Crick’s 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.
•
•
Crick’s 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.
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.
Rosalind Franklin
Satisfaction doesn’t
come from knowing
the solution. It
comes from knowing
why it’s the solution.
Rosalind’s Structure of DNA
Form B vs. Form A
“Wet vs. Dry”
Where are the phosphates located?
Helix or no helix?
Coal: A Valuable Natural
Resource
Resource management information
“High-strength carbon fibers”
Energy production with the help of graphite
Classification system
Structural Virology
 Tobacco Mosaic Virus
 X-ray diffraction contribution to
immunology
 Polio virus
X-Ray Diffraction
What is X-Ray Diffraction?
“The most beautiful X-ray photographs of
any substance ever taken” (J.D. Bernal)
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 didn’t
approve of university education for women.
Her mother and aunt stepped in and they said
they would pay for it.
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.
Maurice Wilkins
Born on December 15, 1916
Nationality: New Zealand, British,
and Irish
Personal Life
Noble Prize Winners, December 1962
Maurice Wilkins, Max Perutz, Francias Crick, John Steinbeck, James
Watson, and John Kendrew
Maurice 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.
Wilkins 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.
He 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.
-At the age of 6 he was brought to England and educated at
King Edwards school in Birmingham.
-He studied Physics at St. John’s 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 King’s College where he
studied the orientation of purines and pyrimidines.
1938-Physics degree from St. John’s 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
1946-Member of new Medical Research Council
Biophysics Research Unit at King’s College,
London-First studied genetic effects of
ultrasonics-then moved on to development of
reflecting microscopes for UV microspectrophotometry 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
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 wasn’t 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
Scientific Characteristics
“The DNA Enabler”
•Studied Physics at St. John’s 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)
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
Studied:
-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)