Discovering the 'secret of life'

70th anniversary of DNA double helix breakthrough

https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/DNA-structure-discovery-cambridge-70th-anniversary

Francis Crick’s announcement to patrons of The Eagle pub that he and James Watson had "discovered
the secret of life", the evening after their determination of the structure of the DNA molecule, has become
a part of Cambridge folklore.

Their breakthrough – pinpointing how our genetic code is passed from parent to child - has led to world-
changing advances in many fields, not least in biological research and our understanding and treatment of
inherited diseases. But the discovery, which was made at Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory 70 years ago, was
only possible because of the work of a host of talented scientists, not least X-ray crystallographer Rosalind
Franklin.

Lawrence Bragg’s appointment as Cavendish Professor of Physics in 1938 – succeeding Ernest Rutherford – was
also key. Along with his father William, Bragg had already won a Nobel Prize in 1915, after discovering that X-
rays could be used to determine the positions of atoms within a crystal.

"Bragg was a hugely important figure in this," said Professor Malcolm Longair, Director of Development at the
Cavendish Laboratory.

"When he became Cavendish professor it was quite a shock to the community here, because he was a
crystallographer rather than a nuclear physicist, which the laboratory was famous for. He encouraged the X-ray
crystallography of biological substances as soon as he came to Cambridge."

Bragg's interest was bolstered by the remarkable X-ray crystallography data on haemoglobin, obtained by Max
Perutz.

Following the Second World War, Bragg continued to support crystallography at Cambridge, encouraging Perutz
and John Kendrew in their efforts to determine the structure of haemoglobin and myoglobin. Also working in X-
ray crystallography at the time, and one of very few women at the Cavendish Laboratory, was June Broomhead.
Her work measuring the dimensions of adenine and thymine molecules would be crucial to cracking the mystery
of DNA’s structure, as would her colleague Bill Cochran’s theoretical research that explained the detailed images
produced by a single helix.

"These are the people, and there are others besides, who formed the core of this experimental work," said Prof
Longair. "They were all contributing very significantly to how you analyse the data.

"A significant point is that Watson and Crick were both theorists, they didn’t do any of the experiments that
resulted in the X-ray crystallography images, which they set about interpreting. There were lots of people who
contributed to the knowledge of the size of the molecules that had to be fitted together, as they eventually were.
They were working in one of the best places they could be to study the crystallographic work."

There was a surge in interest in what X-rays of biological samples might uncover, and at the same time a strong
personal competition between Bragg and Linus Pauling, professor of chemistry at Caltech. So when Bragg
learned Pauling was getting very close to the structure of the DNA molecule he gave free rein to Crick and
Watson to pursue their own work on DNA.

They benefited from the work of X-ray crystallographers Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind Franklin at King’s
College London, using Franklin’s images, essentially without her knowledge.
"All the data was coming from other people," said Prof Longair. "Franklin was a brilliant experimenter – she
produced better X-ray images of the diffraction patterns of the DNA molecules in the crystalline and non-
crystalline state than anyone else."

Crick and Watson took these data and moved the research forward.

Prof Longair said their talent was undeniable. "They were very bright people. They would interpret the findings
of the crystallographers, which is itself a great skill, to work out these patterns and convert them into an image of
the molecular structure.

"They used all the structural information and with a great piece of good luck, they found that if you put together
the two bases of the four molecules, then you found they matched. And then you see that this is what holds
together the two helixes – a pair of helixes interacting with each other and held together by these pairs of bases.
And the order in which the base pairs appear gives you the genetic code."

Physicist Professor Dame Athene Donald, Master of Churchill College, where Rosalind Franklin’s papers are
archived, said the story of the discovery still captures the imagination, but that the narrative has changed for a
new generation of physicists.

"The crucial role of Rosalind Franklin and others is understood now, and I think that aspect of the story has far
more currency than it did 25 years ago, with buildings and prizes now named in her honour. And I think that is
maybe what people take away now as much as the science, the way women in the field were regarded back then.

"The importance of the discovery is taken as read, and everything else that has followed on from it, such as
personalised medicine etc. But I think because we now know the full story, the narrative is perhaps more current
than it used to be."

After the discovery, work on molecular biology grew exponentially at Cambridge, eventually leading to the
creation of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.

"The Cavendish Laboratory was already jam-packed with people," said Prof Longair. "Any University building
that became available in Cambridge, the Physics department just grabbed! The whole thing just grew and grew,
and it was success story after success story.

"It’s incredible when you think that up to then, all of the X-ray crystallography at Cambridge was being carried
out in a tiny temporary hut, which was only demolished a couple of years ago."

Prof Longair said that for students today, 70 years after the DNA breakthrough, the work of these scientists is
still inspiring.

"I don’t teach the DNA story because it is really an application of the fundamentals I’m trying to teach them. In
teaching physics, we have a huge amount of technical stuff to get through to them, but as soon as you do talk
about the great discoveries, they light up and they say 'I want to be a part of that'. The challenge is to combine
the mathematics and the experimental genius – the hands-on stuff, the 'real physics' - through their own
experience, and transfer the technical ability through their project work. And that’s the bit they really love."
The discovery of the structure of DNA, which revolutionized our understanding of
genetics and led to numerous scientific advances, was the result of the work of many
talented scientists. Key among them were Lawrence Bragg, who became the
Cavendish Professor of Physics in 1938 and encouraged the use of X-ray
crystallography of biological substances at Cambridge, and Max Perutz, John
Kendrew, June Broomhead, and Bill Cochran, who made important contributions to
understanding the structure of DNA through their work on X-ray crystallography.
Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind Franklin at King's College London also played a crucial
role, with Franklin producing better X-ray images of the diffraction patterns of the
DNA molecules than anyone else.

It was James Watson and Francis Crick, however, who famously announced the
discovery of the structure of DNA to patrons of The Eagle pub in Cambridge in 1953.
Although they did not do any of the experimental work themselves, they used the
structural information obtained by X-ray crystallographers to interpret the findings
and create an image of the molecular structure of DNA. Their talent in doing so was
undeniable, and they were able to identify the order in which the base pairs appear to
create the genetic code.

The discovery of the structure of DNA led to a surge of interest in X-ray

crystallography of biological samples and resulted in exponential growth in molecular
biology research at Cambridge. Today, the narrative of the discovery includes a
greater recognition of the contributions of Rosalind Franklin and other scientists,
particularly in light of the way women in the field were regarded at the time. Despite
the passage of 70 years, the work of these scientists continues to inspire students
today.
281
Seventy years ago, the discovery of the structure of DNA, the molecule that carries
genetic information, revolutionized the field of biology and changed the course of
science forever. The discovery was made by a team of scientists, including James
Watson and Francis Crick, at the University of Cambridge in 1953. The DNA molecule
is made up of four chemical bases that determine the genetic code for all living
things. The discovery of the double helix structure of DNA paved the way for
advances in fields such as medicine, biotechnology, and agriculture.

The University of Cambridge played a pivotal role in the discovery of the structure of
DNA. The Cavendish Laboratory, where the research was conducted, has a long
history of groundbreaking scientific research. The discovery of the double helix
structure was the result of a collaboration between scientists from different fields,
including physics, chemistry, and biology.

Since the discovery of the structure of DNA, researchers at the University of

Cambridge have continued to make significant contributions to the field of genetics.
They have developed techniques such as genome sequencing, gene editing, and
genetic engineering, which have had a profound impact on society and opened up
new possibilities for medical research and treatment.

The discovery of the structure of DNA also raised ethical questions around issues
such as genetic testing, genetic modification, and cloning. The University of
Cambridge has been at the forefront of these debates, with researchers exploring the
ethical implications of genetic research and developing guidelines to ensure that
scientific advances are used in a responsible and ethical manner.

As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the discovery of the structure of DNA, it is

clear that the impact of this groundbreaking discovery will continue to be felt for
generations to come. The University of Cambridge remains at the forefront of genetic
research, and its scientists continue to make significant contributions to our
understanding of the 'secret of life.'
320
Seventy years ago, Francis Crick and James Watson made the announcement that they had
discovered the structure of DNA, which led to world-changing advances in biological research and our
understanding and treatment of inherited diseases. However, their breakthrough was only possible
because of the work of many other scientists, such as X-ray crystallographer Rosalind Franklin and
Lawrence Bragg, who encouraged X-ray crystallography of biological substances when he became
Cavendish Professor of Physics in 1938.

Following the Second World War, Bragg continued to support crystallography at Cambridge,
encouraging Max Perutz and John Kendrew in their efforts to determine the structure of haemoglobin
and myoglobin. Working in X-ray crystallography at the time, and one of very few women at the
Cavendish Laboratory, was June Broomhead, whose work measuring the dimensions of adenine and
thymine molecules would be crucial to cracking the mystery of DNA’s structure, as would her
colleague Bill Cochran’s theoretical research that explained the detailed images produced by a single
helix.

Watson and Crick benefited from the work of X-ray crystallographers Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind
Franklin at King’s College London, using Franklin’s images, essentially without her knowledge.
However, their talent in interpreting the findings of the crystallographers was undeniable, and they
used all the structural information and a great piece of luck to determine the structure of DNA. The
order in which the base pairs appear gives the genetic code.

Today, the crucial role of Rosalind Franklin and others in the discovery of the structure of DNA is well
understood. Churchill College archives Rosalind Franklin's papers, and buildings and prizes are now
named in her honour. After the discovery, work on molecular biology grew exponentially at
Cambridge, leading to the creation of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology at the Cambridge
Biomedical Campus.

For students today, the discovery of the structure of DNA remains a success story and an inspiration,
with the narrative focusing on the important contributions of all the scientists involved, especially
Rosalind Franklin and the other women in the field who were often overlooked.

Před sedmdesáti lety objev struktury DNA, molekuly, která je nositelem genetické informace,
znamenal převrat v biologii a navždy změnil směr vědy. Objev Jamese Watsona a Francise Cricka, na
univerzitě v Cambridge v roce 1953, . Molekula DNA se skládá ze čtyř chemických bází, které určují
genetický kód všech živých organismů. Objev dvoušroubovicové struktury DNA otevřel cestu k
pokroku v oborech, jako je medicína, biotechnologie a zemědělství.
Klíčovou roli při objevu struktury DNA sehrála univerzita v Cambridge. Cavendishova laboratoř, kde
byl výzkum prováděn, má dlouhou historii průkopnického vědeckého výzkumu. Objev struktury
dvojité šroubovice byl výsledkem spolupráce vědců z různých oborů, včetně fyziky, chemie a biologie.

Od objevu struktury DNA vědci z Cambridgeské univerzity nadále významně přispívají k rozvoji
genetiky. Vyvinuli techniky, jako je sekvenování genomu, editace genů a genetické inženýrství, které
měly zásadní dopad na společnost a otevřely nové možnosti lékařského výzkumu a léčby.

Objev struktury DNA vyvolal také etické otázky týkající se například genetického testování,
genetických modifikací a klonování. Univerzita v Cambridgi stála v čele těchto debat a její výzkumní
pracovníci zkoumali etické důsledky genetického výzkumu a vypracovávali pokyny, které mají zajistit,
aby se vědecký pokrok využíval odpovědně a eticky.

V době, kdy slavíme 70. výročí objevu struktury DNA, je zřejmé, že dopad tohoto převratného objevu
bude pociťován i po další generace. Cambridgeská univerzita zůstává v čele genetického výzkumu a
její vědci nadále významně přispívají k našemu pochopení "tajemství života".