The discovery of DNA is often attributed to the famous duo, Watson and Crick. Though James Watson and Francis Crick were partially responsible for uncovering the structure of DNA, the discovery of the molecule itself is the achievement of a single researcher. This researcher, biochemist Friedrich Miescher, often goes unmentioned in conversations about great scientists. However, the impact that his work had on those in the field of genetics is nearly unmatched.
Friedrich Miescher was born in Basel, Switzerland in 1844. Once Miescher completed his medical studies, he began working in the lab of Felix Hoppe-Seyler. Hoppe-Seyler is often referred to as the “founding father of physiological chemistry” and is known for his work on hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen within the red blood cells. In spite of Felix Hoppe-Seyler’s prominence, the conditions in his lab were terrible. Miescher worked in the cold while extracting the nuclei from pus cells that were found in used hospital bandages.
The Discovery of DNA
It was during young Miescher’s work on pus cells in 1869, that he found a peculiar substance. He determined that it was from the nucleus of the cell and was also not a protein. After analyzing the substance’s chemical composition, he determined that it was a previously unknown molecule. This molecule, now referred to as DNA, was originally called nuclein by Miescher.
Surprisingly, it took Miescher two years to publish his findings. Another of Hoppe-Seyler’s students had previously claimed to be the discoverer of another new substance. Doubt was later cast on this student’s discovery and Hoppe-Seyler did not want a repeat of this incident. His wariness led him to push Miescher to have other students repeat his experiment. The repeat experiments produced different results which would go on to cause some skepticism about the validity of Miescher’s original findings. These issues along with another delay due to the Franco-Prussian war, caused the large gap between Miescher’s discovery and his publication.
The After-effect
The discovery of DNA was not met with any fanfare. At the time, protein was believed to be the real genetic material. This misconception along with the doubts surrounding Miescher’s methods meant that decades passed before anyone realized the true importance of his work. Friedrich Miescher would go on to become a professor and study various topics. However, he had only published a few papers before his death at just 51 years old from tuberculosis. His molecule would be renamed and his part in genetics history all but forgotten. However, there are still some that remember him and his contribution to science.
