Which scientists are credited with discovering the DNA double-helix structure?

Which scientists are credited with discovering the DNA double-helix structure?

• A. Watson and Crick
• B. Franklin and Wilkins
• C. Meischer and Nuclein
• D. Chargaff and Avery

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is who first described the DNA double-helix structure. Watson and Crick are credited with discovering the double-helix form, proposing a two-stranded molecule that runs in a helical shape and pairs bases in a specific way (A with T, C with G). Their model explained how genetic information could be stored and faithfully copied during replication. They built this model using evidence from multiple sources: Chargaff’s rules about base pairing, and X-ray diffraction data collected by Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins that suggested a helical structure with particular dimensions. In 1953 they published the correct structure in Nature, which solidified their place in history. The other scientists mentioned contributed important ideas and data to the broader understanding of DNA—Meischer discovered DNA’s existence (nuclein) long before, and Chargaff and Avery helped reveal its chemical nature and the principle of transformation—but the specific discovery of the double-helix model is attributed to Watson and Crick.

The main idea being tested is who first described the DNA double-helix structure. Watson and Crick are credited with discovering the double-helix form, proposing a two-stranded molecule that runs in a helical shape and pairs bases in a specific way (A with T, C with G). Their model explained how genetic information could be stored and faithfully copied during replication. They built this model using evidence from multiple sources: Chargaff’s rules about base pairing, and X-ray diffraction data collected by Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins that suggested a helical structure with particular dimensions. In 1953 they published the correct structure in Nature, which solidified their place in history. The other scientists mentioned contributed important ideas and data to the broader understanding of DNA—Meischer discovered DNA’s existence (nuclein) long before, and Chargaff and Avery helped reveal its chemical nature and the principle of transformation—but the specific discovery of the double-helix model is attributed to Watson and Crick.