The chronological order of major contributors to the discovery of the DNA structure is as follows:
Friedrich Miescher (1869) - Discovered nuclein, which later proved to contain DNA.
Phoebus Levene (1919) - Determined the basic composition of DNA, identifying its components.
William Astbury (1930s) - Used X-ray crystallography to study DNA's fiber diffraction patterns.
Oswald Avery (1944) - Identified DNA as the substance responsible for carrying genetic information.
Frederick Griffith (1928) - Conducted the Griffith experiment, demonstrating transformation in bacteria.
Erwin Chargaff (1950) - Established Chargaff's rules, noting specific base pairings in DNA.
Raymond Gosling (1950s) - Worked with Rosalind Franklin on X-ray crystallography of DNA.
Rosalind Franklin (1951-1953) - Contributed critical X-ray diffraction images of DNA.
Maurice Wilkins (1951-1953) - Collaborated with Franklin, and his work provided valuable insights.
Herbert Wilson (1952) - Developed the Wilson model, an early three-dimensional model of DNA.
James Watson and Francis Crick (1953) - Proposed the double helix model for the structure of DNA.
Jerry Donohue (1953) - Worked with Watson and Crick on refining the structure of DNA.
Sir John Randall (1953) - Directed the King's College London laboratory where Franklin worked.
Alex Stokes (1953) - Collaborated with Wilson on the Wilson model.
Fred Neufeld (1953) - Contributed to the early understanding of DNA structure.