ABSTRACT
The investigation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) culminated in the recognition of its base-paired double helical structure by James D. Watson and Francis Crick in 1953. This led to the understanding of DNA control of protein synthesis through the genetic code. The methods of molecular biology developed rapidly and included sequencing of DNA, biological and chemical methods for DNA synthesis, splicing of DNA to form recombinant DNA, cloning, and mutagenesis. These methods had many practical applications including identification of individuals and detection of mutations. The sequence of the human genome was announced in 2003 as the result of the Human Genome Project and the Whole Genome Shot-Gun Approach.
