Final answer:
The discovery of DNA as the genetic material and the proposal of the Central Dogma represented fundamental milestones in biology, leading to advances in many modern biotechnologies driven by the understanding of DNA's structure and function.
Step-by-step explanation:
The discovery that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the genetic material was a pivotal breakthrough in biology, cementing the foundations of molecular genetics and biotechnology. Francis Crick, alongside James Watson, elucidated the structure of DNA, leading to the proposal of the Central Dogma of molecular biology. This theory posits that genetic information flows from DNA to RNA to proteins, which remain fundamental to understanding biological processes. Chargaff's rules, stating that DNA is composed of bases adenine (A) equal in proportion to thymine (T) and cytosine (C) to guanine (G), unlocked insights into the double-helix structure of DNA. It resembles a spiral staircase, with the sugar-phosphate backbone as the handrails and the nitrogenous bases as the steps, interacting through hydrogen bonds. Lastly, the process of DNA replication is semi-conservative because each new double helix consists of one original and one new strand, ensuring genetic continuity during cell division.
The strides made by Watson, Crick, and other scientists in unveiling that DNA encodes genetic information have been indispensable in enabling modern biotechnologies such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gene sequencing, and genetic engineering. These technologies drive advances in medicine, diagnostics, and agriculture, all rooted in the foundational understanding of DNA's structure and function.