Photo credit: Nobel Foundation — File:Alexander Todd Nobel.jpg (Wikimedia Commons) · Public domain
Alexander Todd
1907–1997 · United Kingdom · 20th century
Nobel Chemistry 1957
Scottish chemist whose synthesis of nucleotides and coenzymes laid the chemical foundation for understanding DNA, RNA and energy metabolism.
Nobel Prize work
Todd established how nucleotides are built and joined, synthesizing nucleosides, nucleotides and the internucleotide phosphate links, which proved the 3′–5′ phosphate backbone of DNA and RNA. He also synthesized nucleotide coenzymes such as ATP, ADP and FAD, clarifying their chemical nature and biological role.
Fields
Related topics
Total synthesis
Total synthesis constructs a complex natural or designed molecule from simple, defined starting materials, integrating route design, selectivity, mechanism, and practical execution.
DNA and RNA structure
DNA stores information in a paired double helix; RNA shares the nucleotide backbone but often forms diverse single-stranded folds.