- Friedrich Miescher discovered DNA in 1869. Erwin Chargaff further discovered that DNA bases pair up in specific ratios (A=T, C=G). James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the double helix structure of DNA in 1953.
- DNA replication is semiconservative and involves unwinding of the DNA double helix at the replication fork, synthesis of new strands, and ligation to produce two identical DNA molecules.
- Transcription involves RNA polymerase binding to DNA and synthesizing RNA based on the DNA template in three stages: initiation, elongation, termination. Messenger RNA carries genetic information to the ribosome for protein synthesis.
- Genetic engineering techniques allow scientists to modify genomes by