What was friedrich miescher's contribution to the discovery of the genetic code?

Friedrich Miescher's contribution to the discovery of the genetic code was that he extracted and observed DNA from white blood cells.

Friedrich Miescher was a Swiss physician and biologist who is known to be the first person to isolate nucleic acid, DNA, from leukocytes, white blood cells.

Further Explanation;Friedrich Miescher DiscoveryFriedrich Miescher extracted a chemical known as Nuclein from white blood cells. He called it nuclein due to its association with the nucleus. The chemical was distinct from the protein which he had observed first.Nuclein extracted from these cells is DNA with its associated proteins. From this experiment, Friedrich, found out that DNA was different from proteins since they were phosphate-rich molecules that were mainly associated with the nucleus.The extraction of DNA was a great contribution to the discovery of the Genetic code. Genetic codeGenetic code refers to the rules through which genetic information encoded by nucleic acids, DNA and RNA is used to make proteins by living organisms.Genetic information stored by DNA, contains instructions that are used to make proteins. This takes place through the process of transcription where DNA is transcribed forming a messenger RNA, which is then translated to form proteins.  Genetic code outlines how nucleic acid sequences are used to make amino acids which then joins to form proteins. Three nucleotide sequences associates to form a codon which specifies a single amino acid.

Genetic coding occurs in two steps;

TranscriptionThis is the process through which genetic information is passed from DNA to mRNA. DNA undergoes the process of transcription in the nucleus to form messenger RNA.TranslationThe mRNA formed during transcription process then carries the genetic information or code or the instructions needed to make proteins.Translation process takes place in the cytoplasm in organelles called ribosomes where the genetic information in the mRNA is used to make proteins.The genetic information carried by mRNA is inform of codons, such that each codon will code for a single amino acid during the process. The result of translation process is formation of proteins which carry out various functions in living organisms.

Keywords; Genetic code, DNA, nuclein, Friedrich Miescher.

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Level: High school

Subject: Biology  

Topic: Nucleic acids

Subtopic: Genetic code

Regular or uniform type