Pauling and Corey- 1953

Question 1

What was the model for the assumed shape of DNA that Pauling and Corey had come up with?

Answer 1

Alpha Helix. 3 Phosphate surrounding a Nucleic Acid molecule. It was a tetrahedra.

Question 2

Why was discovering the shape of DNA important?

Answer 2

It gave us the answer on how DNA was able to carry genetic information and how the molecule can replicate.

Question 3

What was incorrect about the Alpha Helix shape that was discovered by Watson and Crick?

Answer 3

1953- Watson and Crick proposed the Double Helix shape for DNA because in Pauling and Coreys Proposal, the Phosphate group was pointing inward. Phosphates have a negative charge, which means they repel each other so it would be wrong for them to point inward. Second, the Van der waals distance appeared to be too small