= A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid
{c}
{title2=1953-04-25}
<Watson and Crick>'s "<Nobel Prize> paper.
<Nature> paywall: https://www.nature.com/articles/171737a0
Starting line:
> We wish to suggest a structure for the <salt> of deoxyribose nucleic acid (D.N.A,). This structure has novel features which are of considerable biological interest.
<The Eighth Day of Creation> explains the "<salt>" part as that was the usual way to prepare DNA for <X-ray crystallography>, where something binds with the <phosphate> groups of <DNA>
The paper then shoots down other previously devised helical structures, notably some containing 3 strands or phosphate on the inside.
Then they briefly describe their structure, and promise more details on future articles. This was mostly a short one-page priority note.
Then they drop their shell bomb conclusion:
> It has not es~aped our notice that the specific pairing we have postulated immediately suggests a possible copying mechanism for the genetic material.
Both Wilkins and Rosalind Franklin are acknowledged at the end.
\Image[https://media.springernature.com/m685/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1038%2F171737a0/MediaObjects/41586_1953_BF171737a0_Figa_HTML.png]
{title=DNA double helix illustration from "<A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid>"}
{description=Drawn by <Francis Crick>'s wife <Odile Crick>.}
{source=https://www.nature.com/articles/171737a0}
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