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About the Importance of DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is found in all living organisms. DNA supplies the information necessary for cells to reproduce. It is also responsible for determining how a person looks. DNA often contains codes for diseases that are genetic, passed from parent to child. DNA is also important for researchers who determine the role genes play in complex diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

  1. The Facts

    • DNA is the blueprint that stores the information needed to construct the components of cells in the body. The instructions for creating the cells are contained in the part of DNA called genes. In humans, genes are inherited from the parents. Humans each have two copies of each gene: one each from their mother and father. DNA also plays a role in a person's health. Many diseases are inherited through DNA.

    History of

    • DNA was first discovered in 1869 by Johann Friedrich Miescher. Miescher identified a substance found in the nucleus of white blood cells. This substance would later come to be known as DNA. In 1912, studies done using new microscope technology showed that both DNA and proteins are both present in chromosomes. Thirty-seven years later, a biochemist named Erwin Chargaff proved that DNA is species specific. In 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick were able to demonstrate the molecular structure of DNA. These two scientists went on to win a Noble Prize for their discovery.

    Identification

    • DNA is often referred to as a double helix because of its appearance. DNA is made of two long strands called nucleotides that run in opposite directions from one another. Nucleotides are made of sugars and phosphate groups that are joined together by ester bonds. Attached to each of the sugars is a molecule called a base. Four different types of bases encode the information that is used for cell replication.

    Evolution

    • As organisms evolve, DNA sequences change to produce new qualities and weed out qualities that are no longer needed. Sometimes this happens because of a process of natural selection. Qualities that help people survive certain diseases and conditions continue to be passed on to offspring; less desirable qualities are slowly removed from the population. These DNA evolutions help species to survive and reproduce despite changing conditions.

    Significance

    • DNA is the building block of all organisms. Looking for mutations in DNA helps to uncover the reasons why some people develop certain diseases while others remain disease free. The discovery and study of DNA helps physicians and researchers discover how to test for and treat diseases. Understanding DNA also has the potential to help scientists find a way to produce pharmaceutical drugs that are tailored to an individual's genetic structure.

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