Historical opinion: Erwin Chargaff and his 'rules' for the base composition of DNA: why did he fail to see the possibility of complementarity?

Trends in Biochemical Sciences
Keith L Manchester

Abstract

Erwin Chargaff was one of the more interesting and colourful figures of the historic decade that heralded the proposal of the double helical structure of DNA by Watson and Crick in 1953. In describing Chargaff's important contribution to the study of DNA, particularly its base composition, this article seeks to suggest why, despite his substantial achievements, he failed to anticipate some of the key features of the Watson-Crick model, particularly complementarity between bases--a failure that left him deeply embittered for the rest of his life.

References

Apr 26, 1974·Nature·L Pauling
Jan 1, 1969·Perspectives in Biology and Medicine·A F Coburn
Apr 1, 1974·Journal of the History of Biology·R Olby
Oct 1, 1952·Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta·B GANDELMANE CHARGAFF
Jul 1, 1951·Journal of Cellular Physiology. Supplement·E CHARGAFF
May 13, 1950·Nature·E CHARGAFFC GREEN
May 20, 1950·The Journal of General Physiology·M M DALYA E MIRSKY
Feb 1, 1953·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·L Pauling, R B Corey
Jan 1, 1944·The Biochemical Journal·R ConsdenA J Martin
Jan 1, 1948·Annual Review of Biochemistry·E CHARGAFF, E VISCHER
Oct 1, 2003·American Journal of Philology·John Wilkins

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Citations

Nov 20, 2008·FEMS Microbiology Reviews·Antoine Danchin
Sep 13, 2020·Cells·Samuel F NassarAhmad Abulaban

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