Rationale
DNA is the informational molecule responsible, in most cases, for the propagation of information from one generation to the next. This unit addresses the problem of how that information is propagated.

Readings and Investigations
    Notes: DNA structure
    Notes: DNA replication (Part 1 - Overview)
    Investigation: What is a Gene? and companion
            Presentation from Thursday, August 28
    Investigation: Build your own DNA
    Tutorial: The Scale of the Universe (get a feel for the size of molecules and structures)
                  (warning: takes several seconds to load)
 
    Article: Wrinch DM (1936). On the molecular structure of chromosomes. Protoplasma 25:550-569.
            Companion to Wrinch (1936)
            Related article: Biography of Dorothy Wrinch
            Presentation from Tuesday, September 2
 
    Article: Benzer S (1959). On the Topology of the Genetic Fine Structure. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 45:1607-1620.
            Companion to Benzer (1959)
            Related article: Benzer S (1966). Adventures in the rII region and The Origin of Molecular Biology.
                        In: Phage and the Origins of Molecular Biology. Cairns J, Stent GS, Watson JD, eds.
                        Cold Spring Harbor Lab Quant Biol. pp.157-165.
            Related article: Benzer S (1962). The fine structure of the gene Sci Am 206:70-84.
            Related article: Benzer S, Aspaturian H (1991). Seymour Benzer interviewed by Heidi Aspaturian. .
 
    Article: Pauling L, Coery RB (1953). A proposed structure for the nucleic acids. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 39:84-97 (skim)
    Article: Watson JD, Crick FHC (1953). Molecular structure of nucleic acids. Nature (skim)
 
    Article: Meselson M, Stahl FW (1958). The replication of DNA in Escherichia coli. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 44:671-682
            Companion: DNA Replication (Part 2)
            Related Book: Holmes FL (2001). Meselson, Stahl, and the Replication of DNA:
                        A History of 'The Most Beautiful Experiment in Biology'. Yale University Press
                        Available through the VCU library here.
                        Available through Google Books here (partial).
            Related article: Meselson M (2003). Interview with Matthew Meselson. Bioessays 25:1236-1246.
            Related article: Davis TH (2004). Meselson and Stahl: The art of DNA replication.
                        Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 101:17895-17896. (Frank Stahl's views)
            Related article: Meselson M, Stahl FW (1966). Demonstration of the semiconservative mode of DNA replication.
                        In: Phage and the Origins of Molecular Biology. Cairns J, Stent GS, Watson JD, eds.
                        Cold Spring Harbor Lab Quant Biol. pp.246-251.

Things to do and hand in
    29 Aug: Responses to questions from What is a Gene?
    22 Sep: Problem Set 5 - DNA structure
    29 Sep: Problem Set 6 - DNA replication