DNA was discovered

Dec 18, 2009

DNA was discovered as a major chemical of nucleus at about the same time Mendel and Darwin published their work. However, during the early 1900s, proteins were considered better candidates as molecules from generation to generation. Although DNA was know to be a very large molecule, it seemed likely that its four chemical components were assembled in a monotonous pattern - like a synthetic polymer. Also, no specific cellular function had yet been found for DNA. Proteins, on the other hand, were important as enzymes and structual components of living cells. Proteins were also known to be polymers of numerous amino acids. These polymers are called polypeptides. Most importantly, the 20 amino acid "alphabet" of proteins potentially could be configured info more unique information- carrying structures than the four-letter alphabet of DNA.