The Watson-Crick-Franklin Controversy

When one thinks of DNA and Molecular Biology, the first thing you think of is James Watson and Francis Crick. It's almost like "Watson&Crick" is one word in science. They have been renown throughout history for their groundbreaking research in molecular biology, especially for their discovery of the structure of DNA. Many may not know that Watson and Crick were not the first individuals to decipher the structure of DNA. That person was in fact Rosalind Franklin. Franklin used x-ray diffraction to determine the anti-parallel nature of DNA molecules. She photographed this pattern for the now famous "Photograph 51".

After taking this photograph, Franklin showed it to her colleague at King's College London, Maurice Wilkins. Wilkins himself was highly respected scientist in x-ray diffusion and optical microscopy, and even helped develop radar technology. After being given this image, Wilkins showed the photo to James Watson. He did so without Rosalind Franklin's knowledge or approval. From this picture James Watson and his colleague Francis Crick were able to discern the double helical structure of DNA. Watson, Crick, and Wilkins would go on to be awarded the 1962 Nobel Peace Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Rosalind Franklin was ineligible because she had died of gynecological cancer 4 years earlier. Deceased individuals are not eligible for the Nobel Prize.

Did Watson and Crick steal this idea from Franklin? Some will say Watson committed theft and plagiarism, some will say he was inspired by Franklin's images. I say that science is a collaborative process and all scientists build upon the data and knowledge scientists before them have found. The worst part of this whole story is that Franklin was not honored with the Nobel Prize and her hard work may fade into obscurity as time passes.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalind_Franklin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Wilkins

https://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ps/retrieve/Narrative/SC/p-nid/143/p-docs/true

Advancements in Organ Transplants From Pigs

One of the biggest problems in contemporary medicine is the shortage of viable organs for transplantation. There are simple not enough organs available for the individuals who need them. One feasible option is the use of animal organs. This practice is known as xenotransplantation.  There are many risks involved with xenotransplantation including physiological incompatibility, zootonic transmission of disease (also known as zoonosis), and negative immune responses. Despite these risks, there has been quite a bit of research about xenotransplantation.

One animal that is being considered for organ donation is the pig. Some pig organs' size and function are very similar to their human counterparts. One challenge that is present in pig organ donation is the transmission of pig PERVs. PERVs are porcine endogenous retroviruses. PERVs are highly dangerous and potentially lethal pathogens that can be passed for swines to humans.  Chinese researchers have been looking at ways to prevent transmission of PERVs. Through the use of CRISPR-Cas9, these researchers have been able stop the damaging effects of these viruses. Could this be the new breakthrough in modern medicine?

I feel that if this research continues, it could lead to some of the largest advancements in the history of medicine. It could singlehandedly eradicate many genetic and congenital diseases that effect the organs of the body. This could also lead to xenotransplantation in other animals.


Sources:

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/357/6357/1238

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/357/6357/1303

Female Viking Discovery: The Real Life Lady Brienne

Most of you may not know this, but I am a HUGE Game of Thrones fan. In my opinion, it is the greatest show in the history of television (ya'll are welcome to discuss this in the comments section). Seriously if you haven't watched this show, do yourself a favor and do so. In the show there is a character named Lady Brienne of Tarth. She is a noblewoman who has forsaken the conventional gender roles of Westeros (one of the continents that Game of Thrones takes place) in order to become a knight. She is one of the fiersest and strongest warriors on the show, and has garnered respect from most of the other characters she has encountered. In Westeros, it is an exteremly rare phenomena for a woman to become a knight or fighter. Most women in this world are destined to be married young and bare children.

Recently, a story was published in Science Magazine about the discovery of a female viking warrior burial site. She was unearthed by Swedish researchers with "a sword, an ax, a spear, arrows, a knife, two shields, and a pair of warhorses". This is indicative of the burial of a high ranking viking warrior who, through the analysis of skeletal characteristics and DNA, is the first of which to be determined as female. Like Lady Brienne in Game of Thrones, this woman broke conventional gender norms to become a highly respected, high ranking warrior.

The researchers used genome-wide sequence data to determine the biological sex of the individual. According to their published work the researchers found that "the genomic results revealed the lack of a Y-chromosome and thus a female biological sex, and the mtDNA analyses support a single-individual origin of sampled elements.". This discovery shows that molecular biology and genetics not only have important medical applications, but also have monumental historical and social implications as well. Molecular biology can change and manipulate the way that we view the social constructs of the world and how they came to be. This is only one of many assumptions about human social evolution that has been shattered by DNA analysis.


Sources:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajpa.23308/full

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/09/dna-proves-fearsome-viking-warrior-was-woman

The Relationship Between Molecular Biology and The Central Dogma

Throughout this semester, I will use this blog to attempt to shed light on not only the vast wealth of historical knowledge about molecular biology, but also contemporary research and discoveries made by modern day scientists. As our society continues to progress scientifically, the study of molecular biology has become essential to our understanding of the world and its inhabitants (both human and nonhuman). Molecular Biology is defined by Science Daily as "the study of molecular underpinnings of the process of replication, transcription and translation of the genetic material". The crux of molecular biology is the central dogma which was defined by the renowned scientist Francis Crick. He is also known for his co-discovery of the molecule DNA with James Watson. This has been disputed and I may elaborate on this controversy further in a later blog post. In 1958,Crick stated "that once ‘information has passed into protein it cannot get out again". He further elaborated that "the transfer of information from nucleic acid to nucleic acid, or from nucleic acid to protein may be possible, but transfer from protein to protein, or from protein to nucleic acid is impossible".Crick basically described the processes of replication, transcription and translation as well as how nucleic acids( DNA and RNA) and proteins work together. The central dogma is the bedrock of molecular biology and genetic research.  Watson and Crick's groundbreaking scientific revelations revolutionized the human understanding of life and its underlying processes. It cannot be said enough how essential their work and research was to molecular biology and science as a whole.

Sources:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/molecular_biology.htm

http://dna.caltech.edu/courses/cs191/paperscs191/CrickCentralDogma1970.pdf