Letter from Francis Crick to Jerry Donohue

Letter from Francis Crick to Jerry Donohue

Contributor(s):
The Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine. Francis Harry Compton Crick Papers
Donohue, Jerry
Crick, Francis, 1916-2004
Publication:
Produced: [ca. 15 July 1970]
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Subject(s):
DNA
Crystallography, X-Ray
Genre(s):
Archival Materials
Letters (correspondence)
Abstract:
In response to Donohue's argument that Fourier analysis of X-ray diffraction data collected by Maurice Wilkins and his colleagues did not rule out models of DNA with other base pairs than those posited by Watson and Crick, Crick here reviewed key concepts of crystallography and helical diffraction theory on which the debate hinged. He also cited the biochemical evidence for his and Watson's model of DNA then available. Crick came to the conclusion that Donohue's "hypothetical models of base-pairs are theoretically not to be trusted without further justification." As he had in his response to Donohue in the pages of Science, Crick in his letter once again challenged him to build models of his proposed structures, which Crick insisted was the only way by which the validity of Donohue's claims could be decided.
Copyright:
This item may be under copyright protection; contact the copyright owner for permission before re-use.
Extent:
5 pages
NLM Unique ID:
101584582X186 (See in Profiles in Science)
Profiles in Science ID:
SCBBMZ
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101584582X186
Archival Collection:
The Francis Crick Papers (Profiles in Science)