Five Early Papers on Dna

FRANKLIN, Rosalind (1920–1958) and GOSLING, Raymond (1926–2015). “Evidence for 2-chain Helix in Crystalline Structure of Sodium Deoxyribonucleate”. Offprint from: Nature , vol. 172, p. 156. 25 July 1953. [ With: ] “The Structure of Sodium Thymonucleate Fibres. I[–III]”. Offprints from: Acta Crystallographica , vol. 6, part 8–9, pp. 673–77; 678–85; vol. 8, part 3, pp. 151–56. September 1953–March 1955. [ With: ] WILKINS, Maurice (1916–2004) et al. “Helical Structure of Crystalline Deoxypentose Nucleic Acid”. Offprint from: Nature , vol. 172, p. 759. 24 October 1953. “James D. Watson and Francis Crick solved the structure. Without the data [Franklin] and Gosling had produced, however, their feat would not have been possible.” (Oxford Companion to the History of Modern Science). Five rare early papers on DNA by Rosalind Franklin, Raymond Gosling and Maurice Wilkins; each signed by Gosling. After “learning of the promising results obtained by Maurice Wilkins and Raymond Gosling in their exploratory studies of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)”, Franklin decided to focus her career on DNA (Oxford Companion to the History of Modern Science). In 1952, under Franklin’s supervision, Gosling took Photo 51, an exceptionally clear diffraction pattern of DNA elucidating its double helix structure. It was first printed on 25 April 1953, in the same issue of Nature in which Watson and Crick announced their discovery of the double-helix structure. They had been modelling it after being shown Franklin and Gosling’s work surreptitiously by Maurice Wilkins. The present papers represent the work being done by the King’s College London group at this pivotal time and their response to Watson and Crick’s announcement, confirming the double helix structure. Five offprints: three Acta Cryst ., folio (266 × 202mm); two Nature , octavo (210 × 140mm). Tables and figures showing the structure of DNA. Quarter calf over marbled paper box.

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