Animalscaretips
- What did Erwin Chargaff study?
- How can Chargaff's rules be used to identify different species?
- Why does Chargaff's rule apply to all organisms?
- What was Chargaff trying to answer?
What did Erwin Chargaff study?
The American biochemist Erwin Chargaff (born 1905) discovered that DNA is the primary constituent of the gene, thereby helping to create a new approach to the study of the biology of heredity. Erwin Chargaff was born in Austria on August 11, 1905.
How can Chargaff's rules be used to identify different species?
The amount of adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine varies from species to species and are not found in equal quantities. They do not vary between individuals of the same species and can be used to identify different species.
Why does Chargaff's rule apply to all organisms?
Chargaff's rules are important because they point to a kind of “grammar of biology”, a set of hidden rules that govern the structure of DNA. This grammar ought to reveal itself as patterns in DNA that are invariant across all species.
What was Chargaff trying to answer?
In 1944, Chargaff read a paper by Oswald Avery proposing the idea that DNA coded and transmitted genetic information. Though many scientists disagreed with Avery's conclusions, Chargaff was inspired. He dropped all of his previous research to focus on studying DNA full-time.
