The discovery of DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953 was the first biological revolution of the last century and it all started with clamps, wires and mirrors, said Peter M Larsen and Stephen J Fey, two leading scientists from the University of southern Denmark. Speaking at a symposium on "50 years of the Discovery of DNA Double Helix" in Hyderabad, jointly organised by the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostic Centre (CDFD), L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), A P Akademi of Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences, they said that was the most spectacular event of the last century.
Tracing the development of the DNA era in the last 50 years, Larsen said the year 1975 saw the automated DNA sequencing followed by the first eukaryotic genome sequencing in 1996. The year also saw the birth of Dolly, the first cloned sheep, a genetic copy of her donor cell, which has been put to death recently following an incurable disease.
The next major step was the fully sequenced human genome on June 26, 2000, which the US President Bill Clinton had described as the most important and the most wonderous map ever produced. Newspapers called it "the one small piece of man" and "one giant leap for mankind". Some also asked, " Is it the end of cancer?"
And in 50 years of the discovery of DNA, the Raelian Cult in USA recently claimed cloning of a human baby. Though the claim has been dismissed as a hoax, therapeutic cloning could be used successfully for producing human organs such as kidneys, heart and lungs to facilitate their transplant in human beings.
Talking on "Genes to Proteins - the Return Trip," Larsen said one gene normally codes for more than one gene product (protein). In one human gene there would be 15-20 proteins. The different proteins coded by the same gene very often produced different functions. Talking on "New Science of Proteomics," Stephen Fey said the first biological revolution took 50 years, but the second revolution would take 500 years. He discussed how people get diabetes type-I due to the weakening of the immune system. The study of proteins would come up with cures for diseases like diabetes, asthma, arthritis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's and so on.
B Phondke, former Director, NISC, Mumbai, talked on the "Socio-cultural Dimensions of DNA." He said study on DNA had revolutionized the medicine and healthcare sectors. Biopharmaceuticals and stem cell research would find answers to several incurable diseases. Reproductive biology had resulted in the birth of the first test tube baby, Louis Brown, in 1983. About 10-15 per cent of the married couples are infertile and it is a boon and hope for such couples. The new science has also brought new challenges. People are yet to accept or reconcile to GM (genetically modified) foods, GM microbes, GM animals, GM primates and GM man. Microbes are a potential threat to the humanity in biological warfare. Bio-terrorism is already threatening the society in the form of Anthrax and small-pox microbes. The cloning of Dolly, which had been put to death recently, had raised several issues, including ethical considerations. New genetics is also raising questions on selective discrimination on insurance and jobs, new twist to racial discrimination and caste system. Above all, the most pertinent questions are: Is man playing God? Is man tinkering with evolutionary forces?
Delivering a talk on " The Advent of the DNA Generation", Dr D Balasubramaniam, Director, LVPEI, who gave a brief account of the different stages in the discovery of DNA Double Helix, said it had opened wonderful opportunities in the development of biology and brought in simplicity and convenience in the automation of DNA data. He compared DNA with Ramayana (less complex) and Proteins with Mahabharata, which had multiple characters. He said while celebrating the 50 years of DNA discovery, the roles of several others, including Franklin, Wilkins, Chargaff, Pauling and so on should also be remembered.
For the generation born after 1953, the DNA children as described by Dr Baslasubramaniam, it seemed natural to them that the DNA be a double helix model and nothing else. He said the discovery of DNA Double Helix had helped scientists study the book of life or map the human genome.
Interacting with newsmen, Dr Balasubramaniam said scientists across the world know the genome sequences of about 150 species from bacteria, birds, fish, monkeys and man. The bacteria, which are three-and-a-half million years old, and the human being which is about 200,000 years old, share almost similar genomes. " It is just the same genome. The covering has been changed," he said.
Regarding the Dolly episode, Dr Balasubramaniam said it was created from somatic cells from a six-year-old mother and not through the fertilisation of eggs through sperm. They contain fresh cells. When Dolly was born her body was one day old but her DNA was six years old. He did not support the cloning of human beings.
K Vijayaraghavan, Director, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, talked on " The Development of Behaviour in Fruitfly." He said the Mendel's Law of 1866 and the Darwin's Law of 1859 on the origin of species by evolution discussed how hereditary factors could change the species. DNA was responsible for the hereditary factors.
Dr Seyed E Hasnain, Director of CDFD, who himself is a DNA child as described by Dr Balasubramaniam, said the Centre which was only six years old had achieved several breakthroughs in DNA research.