Crick Francis Henry Compton

Crick

(krĭk), Francis Henry Compton Born 1916.

British biologist who with James D. Watson identified the structure of DNA. By analyzing the patterns cast by x-rays striking DNA molecules, they discovered that DNA has the structure of a double helix, two spirals linked together by bases, forming ladder-like rungs. Their discovery formed the basis of molecular genetics. Crick continued to work on DNA, later working out how DNA carries its genetic information.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.