Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid

J. D. Watson, F. H. C. Crick

Published 25 April 1953 · Nature · Journal article

Summary

In this one-page report, Watson and Crick proposed a double-helical structure for the salt of deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA), consisting of two right-handed helical polynucleotide chains coiled around a common axis and running in antiparallel directions. They proposed that the chains are held together by hydrogen bonding between specific complementary base pairs—adenine with thymine and guanine with cytosine—a feature dictated by the structure. They famously noted that this specific pairing immediately suggested a possible copying mechanism for the genetic material.

Key findings

Proposed that DNA consists of two antiparallel chains forming a right-handed double helix, with the sugar-phosphate backbones outside and the bases inside.
Established the principle of specific complementary base pairing (adenine–thymine and guanine–cytosine) held together by hydrogen bonds.
Recognized that the complementary structure suggested a mechanism by which the genetic material could be copied (replicated).

Subjects & keywords

Biology & Genetics dna double helix molecular biology structural biology

Cite this paper

APA

J. D. Watson, & F. H. C. Crick (1953). Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/171737a0

BibTeX

@article{watson1953molecular,
  author    = {J. D. Watson and F. H. C. Crick},
  title     = {Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid},
  journal   = {Nature},
  year      = {1953},
  doi       = {10.1038/171737a0},
  url       = {https://doi.org/10.1038/171737a0}
}

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