Who are credited with developing the double helix model of DNA?

The development of the double helix model of DNA is primarily attributed to Watson and Crick. In 1953, they published a paper that described the structure of DNA as a double helix, suggesting that it is composed of two strands that coil around each other, with the sugar-phosphate backbone on the outside and nitrogenous bases on the inside. Their model was groundbreaking because it provided insight into how genetic information is stored and duplicated, laying the foundation for modern genetics.

Watson and Crick's work was heavily influenced by the X-ray diffraction images produced by Rosalind Franklin, which provided critical evidence regarding the helical structure. Although Franklin and Wilkins were pivotal in the study of DNA, the specific model of the double helix is attributed to the interpretation and synthesis of data by Watson and Crick. Hershey and Chase contributed to our understanding of genetic material through their experiments with viruses and bacteria, while the reference to PCR and Taq describes techniques used in molecular biology, which came much later. Thus, the recognition of Watson and Crick as the developers of the double helix model emphasizes their contribution to genetics and molecular biology.