The Transforming Principle: Discovering that Genes Are Made of DNA

Forty years ago, three medical researchers—Oswald Avery, Colin MacLeod, and Maclyn McCarty—made the discovery that DNA is the genetic material. With this finding was born the modern era of molecular biology and genetics."The most interesting and portentous biological experiment of the 20th century authoritatively described by one of the three principal executants." —Sir Peter Medawar"The education of the transforming principle, i.s., genes, as DNA ranks with the contributions of Darwin and Me…