The Left Handed DNA
Hall of Fame


- Tom Schneider

http://www.ccrnp.ncifcrf.gov/~toms/LeftHanded.DNA.html
    1964
  1. The earliest Left handed DNA that we are aware of is an Israeli stamp from 1964. The image was sent to me by Irwin Tessman (Department of Biological Sciences Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907-1392). The stamp is in "Chemistry on stamps (chemophilately)". Rappoport, Z. Acc. Chem. Res., 25(1), 24- 31, 1992. It is in the lower right corner of Figure 2, and is described on page 30 as having 'the "abnormal" helicity of DNA'. Click to see the complete beautiful stamp.
    as of 1998 Nov 23
    1978
  2. The now out of print book, Molecular Biology of the Gene by James D. Watson (W. A. Benjamin, Inc, Menlo Park, California, third Edition, ISBN 0-8053-9609-8) has a series of left handed DNA pictures on pages 228 (fig 9-18), 263 (fig 10-10 and 10-11), 268 (fig 10-16), 290 (fig 11-8), 292 (fig 11-9), and 419 (fig 15-9). (Thanks to Richard Wolf (wolf@umbc.edu) for pointing this one out!) as of 1999 April 23. "There is at least one additional drawing of left-handed DNA on p. 216 (fig 9-9). Also, the Fig. 11-8 on p. 290 is particularly cute in presenting a right-handed structure amidst two left-handed flanks in the same drawing (the central portion showing a hybrid duplex of RNA/DNA, though)." (Thanks to Richard Egel, richard.egel@molbio.ku.dk for pointing this one out!) as of 2000 August 18.
    around 1980
  3. Until Dr. Tessman informed me otherwise in November 1998, the earliest example I was aware of is a beautiful drawing of a circular plasmid by the Beckman Company published around 1980. "Our experience covers over 40 years of innovation and unmatched quality".
  4. On the cover of Nature Volume 284 Number 5757, 17 April 1980 is on left handed "Selfish DNA" (a series of left-handed twisting snakes eating each other in a circle). The person who found it writes:

    Hi there! Yes, I am a Newsweek reader. I am also an artist responsible for perhaps one of the first left-handed boo-boos.

    My husband and his old advisor (Doolittle and Sapienza) wrote a piece on "Selfish DNA" that was accepted by Nature. Their paper and another by Crick and Orgel became the magazine's cover topic. Lucky me! I got to draw for Nature!

    No one noticed that my design was left-handed until the journal was in press. I will admit that the scientists thought it was pretty funny (well, what could they do at that point?).

    In the US the background color was an ugly light orange, but the British version was a vivid red.

    I'm starting to feel like a real part of history here...uh, infamous too.

    ...

    Thanks for a great site!

    (Thanks to Linda Angeloff Sapienza, LASplumas@aol.com, for pointing this one out!)
    as of 2000 May 30
    1982
  5. Principles of Biochemistry by Albert L. Lehninger, Worth Publishers, Inc., New York. ISBN 0-87901-136-X. (added 1998 April 8) Page 850 shows a relaxed left handed DNA circle which when acted on by DNA gyrase with the hydrolysis of ATP to ADP + Pi becomes a supertwisted right-handed DNA.
    1983
  6. The Cartoon Guide To Genetics by Larry Gonick and Mark Wheelis (Barnes & Noble, NY, 1983), is a wonderful and funny introduction but unfortunately the cute RNA polymerase on the cover is chewing away at a left handed DNA. The cover of the updated edition has the even odder DNA that is changing twist as the RNA polymerase moves by. (It's a great book anyway!!)
  7. In a letter Nature 305:176 (1983) John H. Wilson and Peter B. Berget point out that in the advertisement for the Symposium: Molecular Biology Now & Tomorrow was a DNA that was simultaneously left and right handed! (Thanks to John Wilson for pointing this one out.)
    1989
  8. Arthur Kornberg, discoverer of DNA polymerase, wrote a book:
    For the love of enzymes: the odyssey of a biochemist Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1989.
    In the section on "Astonishing Machines of Replication" on page 227, figure 7-14 there is a figleaf covering the point of DNA replication, all of the strands coming out of it are left handed.
  9. An Amgen advertisement in Nature 340, 17 August 1989, shows a replicating left-handed DNA in space over the North American continent, with the words "Amgen Biologicals: bringing world class products to the forefront of biomedical research". Space invaders?
  10. The Trends in Biotechnology cover January 1989, Volume 7 No.1 shows both left and right-hand forms coming from a single plant.

    version = 2.00 of leftyear1995.html 2002 March 4

    1990
  11. The Trends in Biotechnology cover June 1990, Volume 8 No.6 shows an SEM image of a left-handed DNA with the words "Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy of Biomolecules". In the article itself ("Scanning tunnelling Microscopy in Biotechnology", P. G. Arscott and V. A. Bloomfield, page 153), fig 2 shows a left-handed DNA with a figure legend stating that it is "in the left-handed Z form". Yet on page iii is "Front Cover ... A single molecule of B-form DNA ..."
  12. The IBI 1990 Catalog cover two kinds of model, both left handed.
  13. Perkin Elmer Spring 1990 Biotechnology Catalog cover
  14. Bio-Rad Bio-Radiations No. 76, 1990, page 4, "DNA Preparation for Forensic Analysis" with a left-handed helix. To track the space invaders? "Image: Nelson L. Max".
  15. A Genosys advertisement in Trends in Biochemical Research 15(4) April 1990. "Some good things you have to wait for." (under a picture of wine and glasses) "Others you don't." (under a picture of left-handed DNA).
  16. "Logic of the Escherichia coli cell cycle", Richard D'Ari and Philippe Bouloc, cartoon in TIBS May 1990 15(5) 191-194.
  17. Clontech advertisement in Nucleic Acids Research 18(4) July 25, 1990. "we can offer you guaranteed quality and excellent service."
  18. Applied Biosystems meeting "Automating Molecular Biology: Tools and Techniques for the 90's", September 12, 1990, National Institutes of Health, Lipsett Amphitheatre, Bethesda, MD. This company makes the most popular DNA sequencing machine.
  19. Science 1990 Nov 9 issue had business reply cards to join membership in the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The card has the words: ' "I have to read SCIENCE every week" James D. Watson Nobel Laureate' above a left-handed DNA. This appeared in Science in two other formats, one on 1991 Aug 19. The original paper on the structure of DNA is: 
    @article{WatsonCrick1953,
author = "J. D. Watson
 and F. H. C. Crick",
title = "Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids:
A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid",
journal = "Nature",
volume = "171",
pages = "737-738",
year = "1953"}
  20. Biochemistry book by C. K. Mathews and K. E. van Holde, The Benjamin / Cummings Publishing Company, Inc. Redwood City, California, ISBN 0-8053-5015-2, 1990. Page 923 shows RNA polymerases working on left handed DNA that somehow manages to switch over to right handed DNA elsewhere on a circular plasmid. This is a pretty clear example of an artist flipping a drawing over. This textbook drawing was meant to show how transcription can cause supercoiling. It shows two polymerases transcribing towards each other, but with opposite DNA twists. A student could become rather confused: the DNA as drawn would not become supercoiled by the transcription!
  21. Tessman Letter: Genosys Nature 14 June 1990, page xiii
  22. Tessman Letter: ZymoGenetics Science 15 June 1990, in the back
  23. Collaborative Research Science 15 June 1990, in the back
  24. Tessman Letter: Applied Biosystems Science 10 August 1990, p. 610
  25. Tessman Letter: Oncor Science 28 September 1990, p. 1475
  26. Tessman Letter: Clontech Nature 4 October 1990, p. xii
    1991
  27. Tessman Letter: Eppendorf Science 25 January 1991 (I have not confirmed this one.)
  28. In a Letter to Nature volume 350, 21 March 1991, page 184, Irwin Tessman (Department of Biological Sciences Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907-1392) wrote about the ``Sinister change'' that had already by that time come about. He listed 6 advertisements in Nature 1 5 and Science, 2 3 4 6 a book and a Biotechnology center. Dr. Tessman is the earliest identified DNA Leftologist (people like myself who are puzzled and worried by this growing effect).
    as of 1998 Nov 19
  29. The MIT Technology Review "The Dark Side of the Genome" by Robert A. Weinberg, April 1991. On page 47 is a left-handed helix with with non-inverted letters on the bases next to a right-hand helix coming out of a bacterium. "Illustrations: James Yang", "Diagram: Bohdan D. Osyczka."
  30. The Washington Post cover of section on High Tech Careers, Monday, May 5, 1991.
  31. The Washington Post section on Science/Public Health, page A3, Monday, May 11, 1992. The figure shows left-handed smallpox DNA four times.
  32. Schleicher & Schuell flyer 1991 July 30. "Only One Purification Kit Can Do All This." There are innumerable left-hand DNAs shown.
    1992
  33. Promega advertisement in Biotechniques 12(2), February 1992. "We make the grade like no one else. HeLaScribe (TM) Nuclear Extract - in vitro Transcription Grade"
  34. EG&G Berthold advertisement in Biotechniques 12(2), February 1992. "Now, A Better Way to Measure Gene Expression..." This one is signed: "(c) Schilling '91" running along the left-hand helix, so the inversion could not have happened at the last minute.
  35. Oncogene Science, advertisement in Science 258, 13 November 1992.
  36. USB United States Biochemical, flyer for "Images Non-Isotropic Kits for Detection of Nucleci Acids and Proteins" 1992 December.
  37. Digene Diagnostics. Inc., 1992-1993 Catalog cover has 2 right handed and 2 left handed DNAs.
    as of 1999 Jan 15
    1993
  38. Ambion advertisement showing a machine transcribing left-handed DNA [1993 March].
  39. QIAGEN advertisement for a "Back to Basics" T-shirt [1993 Nov 3]
  40. Nature genetics conference: Human Genetics: Mapping the Future. 1st International Conference, April 1 & 2, 1993, Washington, DC. The symbol g twists to become a left-handed helix. (advertisement in Nature, 28 Jan 1993) Perhaps the date of the meeting explains it?
  41. Amersham Life Science, advertisement in Nature, 28 Jan 1993. Many little DNA drawings, some are left handed.
  42. USB United States Biochemical, advertisement in Nature, 28 Jan 1993.
  43. Promega catalog cover of 1993/94. On the cover is written: "Revolutions in Science" and shows a picture of a left handed DNA strand with a photo of Oswald Avery in the background. What a revolution in science!! I wonder what they are hinting at? Anyway, to top this, the start of chapter four also shows another picture of left handed DNA. (Thanks to: Nico Gey van Pittius, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa, Tel : +27-21-938 9402/7, +27-82-896 8949, Fax : +27-21-938 9476, E-mail: ngvp@gerga.sun.ac.za for finding and scanning the image, and for some of the description.) (Click on this cropped image for the complete cover. A closeup of this pretty figure is also available). as of 1999 March 4
    1994
  44. Time January 17, 1994. "Genetics: The future is now". The cover shows a picture of a spread out person with a huge left handed DNA embedded in his chest and abdomen. They refused to allow the cover to be put on this web site! (Thanks to Irwin Tessman, Department of Biological Sciences Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907-1392. for scanning and sending the jpeg to me.)
    as of 1998 Nov 24
  45. R&D Magazine, April 1994. "ECL Detection Method Speeds Human Genome Mapping Project" pages 32-33 by Howard Goldner. "For more information: Shaf Yousaf, Amersham Life Science".
    I sent email to the editor, Robert Cassidy and he acknowledged the error.
  46. Nature Volume 372 No 6501 3 November 1994. The cover shows Darwin knitting a DNA strand. The end of the strand is right handed, but it switches to left handed further up. The cover was prepared in celebration of 125 years of Nature. The lead article is entitled "Frontiers of Ignorance".
  47. A book by Julie Chen on DNA teaches artists how to do it backwards: Double Helix: An Essential Component of All Living Matter, Berkeley, California, 1994
    as of 1998 Nov 19. 2002 Mar 6:
    1995
  48. "Make your own DNA", Thoki Yen shows how to make a lovely (left handed) DNA model by origami. TIBS February 1995 20(2) page 94.
    This was pointed out by Sean Eddy on a bionet news group. (Thanks to Alex Bateman MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, agb@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk, Phone: (01223) 402479, http://www.mrc-cpe.cam.ac.uk/jong/agb/origami.html for alerting me. Search for "DNA" on his site for an entire discussion.) 2002 March 6: Unfortunately the original link is broken.
  49. Science volume 269, 28 July 1995, page 468. According to the figure on this page, a new strain of the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae, known to cause ear infections and meningitis, has been found that has left handed DNA. How it is capable of infecting people with right handed DNA is not understood.
  50. Pharmacia Biotech advertisement in BioDirect August 1995 issue 5 volume 1 page 11 shows the cover of "Products for the Purification of [Lefthanded?] Nucleic Acids".
  51. Science volume 270, 13 October 1995, page 252. The article has a figure showing "The yeast a1/alpha2 repressor bound to [left-handed] DNA."
  52. Epicentre Technologies, advertisement in Science volume 270, 24 November 1995. "Now there's a better choice for transgenic DNA packaging. MutaPlax (TM) Transgenic DNA Packaging System ... only from Epicentre."
    To their credit, they acknowledged the error by email.
  53. 1995 NIH RESEARCH FESTIVAL Symposia, workshops and posters, September 18-22. "Cover Design: Artist's rendition of the DNA molecule, courtesy of the National Institute of Aging." WWW link (no image).
  54. H. A. Lim and C. R. Cantor book: 
    Bioinformatics & Genome Research:
Proceedings of the Third International
Florida State Conference Center,
Tallahassee, Florida,
1-4 June 1994.
World Scientific, Singapore.
981-02-2401-X
publication date: Sept 1995
    On the cover there is a computer chip with both left and right handed DNA emerging from it.
  55. R&D Magazine, November 1995 cover.
    To their credit, they acknowledged the error in the January 1996 issue (page 11).
  56. The cover of the 1995 Lab Manual Source Book from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (now the The BioSupplyNet Source Book) shows a lovely yellow left handed DNA.
    as of 1999 January 28
    1996
  57. Poster for the meeting: International Symposium on Molecular Virology, Advances in Molecular Basis of Viral Pathogenesi [sic]. Date: Oct 6-10, 1996. Place: Xi'an, China. Host: Chinese Society of Medical Virology. Sponsor: Chinese Medical Association. Supported by: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Glaxo China, Ltd, National Vaccine & Serum Institute of China.
  58. TaKaRa Shuzo Co. LTD. advertisement in The Journal of NIH Research March Volume 8, p. 12, 1996.
  59. Elsevier Science advertisement in Cell March 8, Volume 84, Number 5 1996 for Gene-Combis. (It's nice that they show a sequence logo though! :-)
  60. Taconic advertisement in Science 19 January 1996, Vol 271:278, for Transgenic mouse models.
  61. Schleicher & Schuell advertisement in BioTechniques volume 20, number 4, April 1996, page 645. "PCR-Quality [left handed?] DNA from Whole Blood" ... "a revolutionary new device" ...
  62. Bio-Synthesis Inc. advertisement in American Biotechnology Laboratory April 1996, page 79. Catalog of [left handed DNA?] products.
  63. Rice Biotechnology Quarterly volume 26, April 1996. The cover shows left handed DNA recombining. Are the space invaders evolving now?
  64. Knight-Ridder Information, Inc. advertisement in R&D Magazine April 1996 page 2 shows a rather lovely graphic with both a right hand and part of a left handed DNA.
  65. Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. advertisement in Nature Vol 381 23 May 1996 between pages 346 and 347. A single DNA molecule switches from left- to right- handed. Where the right hand DNA is inspected under a magnifying glass, it becomes left handed. Something is strange about those optics!
  66. Retrogen advertisement in BioTechniques volume 20, number 6, June 1996, page 955. Apparently they synthesize left handed DNA.
  67. Enzo Diagnostics advertisement in Nature Vol 381 13 June 1996 page ii. A single DNA molecule is left-handed and switches to a right hand twist. Why is this mistake gaining popularity?
  68. Wyeth-Ayerst advertisement in Science Vol 272 21 June 1996 page 1826. A single DNA molecule is left-handed and switches to a right hand twist as one goes up the page. This mistake is gaining in popularity!
  69. Technology Review August/September 1996 cover by Marc Burckhardt shows a lovely left-handed DNA twisting around a tree. The cover is about "Misusing Genetics".
  70. Schleicher & Schuell a huge poster received on 1996 July 23 shows one of the "biggest" (77 cm x 39 cm) mistakes so far: a psoralen attacking a left-hand DNA. "Choose the Psoralen Advantage" ... to make your DNA reverse handedness?
  71. Pierce advertisement in Nature Vol 382 25 July 1996 just after page 294. The DNA on the card insert has left hand twist.
  72. Clontech 96/97 catalog. The cover shows a series of left handed DNAs coming out of a machine; the DNAs are stamped "innovation". How are they going to use this innovative product? In the Chapters on PCR-Based Analysis, they show another picture where a left handed DNA is replicated into both left and right handed DNA! Does this mean that they have invented a left handed enzyme? For the section on Libraries, they show a box from which a right then left twist DNA appears from a box.
  73. Perkin-Elmer advertisement flyer. Apparently they have a way to amplify left handed DNA!
  74. Clontech advertisement in Science Vol 273, 2 August 1996, page 552.
  75. As of 1996 Aug 16 a left handed DNA is on the cover of the journal Gene!
    By Spring of 1997, they had corrected the error.
  76. Scientific American, September 1996:
    pages 56-57: people against a background of left handed DNA.
    page 61: left handed DNA for a section titled "Fundamental Understandings" ...
    page 64: both left and right handed DNA in a normal cell
    page 109: DNA hybridizing to "normal" DNA from Hubert Humphrey has a left handed twist. What was he ...?
    The editors responded: "Thanks for pointing out our error in the September issue regarding the handedness of DNA. We have alerted the artists and editors involved. We appreciate your interest in SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN. Sincerely, THE EDITORS"
  77. The cover of the book Independent Birth of Organisms by Periannan Senapathy Shows that frogs came from right handed DNA but that crabs came from left handed DNA. No wonder he claims "that evolutionary theories are fundamentally incorrect".
  78. Bio-Synthesis advertisement in Science Vol 273, 23 August 1996, page 1138. and at their web site. Do they synthesize left handed DNA?
  79. Science volume 273, 30 August 1996, page 1249. An advertising supplement showing a graduating student's left handed DNA tassle.
  80. Nature Volume 383, No 6596, 12 September 1996, page 119. The article "Activation without a vital ingredient" by David M. Chao and Richard A. Young is about how TAFs are not apparently needed for transcriptional activation. The diagram shows transcription from left handed DNA.
  81. 5 Prime -> 3 Prime, Inc mail flyer. received on 1996 September 23 with "products for cloning and molecular biology" shows left handed DNA.
  82. TIBS September 1996 249(21) page 336. Artwork by Bo Segerman showing an entire eukaryotic transcription complex binding left handed DNA.
  83. The Economist's cover of September 14th-20th, 1996 shows a man (or is "nam" a more appropriate name?) walking along as a puppet with left handed DNA attached to the feet, hands and head, and labled "The genetic illusion". Hmm.
  84. NEN Life Science Products Catalog received on 1996 October 24. The cover shows left handed DNA.
  85. PharMingen International advertisement in Nature Vol 384 5 December 1996, 3rd page after page ix. The DNA about to be eaten by a little pacman has left hand twist. (Also in Science Vol 275, 14 Feb 1997, page 894. Also in an advertising poster 1997 Oct 15)
  86. Newsweek's cover December 23, 1996 shows a left handed DNA wrapped around an ... alien from outer space?
  87. GIBCO BRL PCR Products catalogue from Life Technologies, Inc shows the successful PCR replication of left handed DNA. (Thanks to Denise Rubens, rubens@ncifcrf.gov, for pointing this one out!) as of 1999 June 10
    1997
  88. Oncogene Research Products 1997 cellular research products catalog. A left handed DNA emerges from a eukaryotic cell. (See figure to the right.)
  89. American Scientist, 1997 March-April: page 105: Darwin puzzles over a quiz while a left handed DNA grows out of a pot on the shelf behind him.
  90. CellGenix advertisement in Nature Vol 385, 13 February 1997, back pages. A left hand twist DNA is shown.
  91. MWG-Biotech GmbH advertisement in Nature Vol 386, 6 March 1997, between pages 28 and 29 has left hand twist DNA, labeled "Magic DNA-Sequencing". They have learned how to sequence this kind of DNA! Their web site is somewhat disappointing because it only shows normal right handed DNA :-(
  92. Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc. advertisement in The Journal of NIH Research volume 9, April 1997, page 61. has two left hand twist DNAs.
  93. R&D Systems Europe Ltd. advertisement in The Journal of NIH Research volume 9, April 1997, page 60. has left hand twist DNAs, an artist "ingenius"ly switched the orientation of their very pretty drawing (illustrated to the right). Their cool Molecular Biology Machine has it the other way though.
  94. A lot of beautiful left handed DNA art (Until they reverse the gif's that is :-).
  95. UNC Biology Department Faculty List. The lovely light colored background image is left handed. (Until they reverse the image that is :-). (Thanks to Juan Pablo Martinez-Soriano, Ph.D. Lab. Patologia Molecular Apdo. postal 629 Irapuato, Gto MEXICO http://www.suva.cinvestav.mx/ irapuato /jpms.html CINVESTAV Unidad Irapuato E-mail: jpms@irapuato.ira.cinvestav.mx Phone (524) 624-4500 Fax (524) 624-5996 for pointing this one out!)
    Gif reproduced with permission.
  96. Amersham Life Sciences advertisement in Nature Vol 386, 10 April 1997, page vi. Their new Thermo Sequenase seems to work on left handed DNA, as capital S is wrapping left handed. It looks like we can now sequence left handed DNA! This is good news for those of us investigating the biology of the space invaders. Gif reproduced with permission. © Amersham International plc 1997 - All rights reserved. Amersham International plc, Amersham Place, Little Chalfont, Buckinghamshire, England, HP7 9NA.
  97. Taconic advertisement in Nature Vol 386, 10 April 1997, page 556. Taconic has created a mouse with Left Handed DNA. Or is it a replacement for earth style mice?
  98. James S. McDonnel Centennial Fellowships advertisement in Nature Vol 386, 10 April 1997, page 556. Research on left handed human genetics will now be funded with these fellowships. Progress should be rapid from this point onwards. (See figure.)
  99. PharMingen International advertisement in Science Vol 276, 11 April 1997, page 207. Organisms with left handed DNA also undergo apoptosis. (See figure to the right, reproduced with permission.)
  100. LI-COR advertisement in Science Vol 276, 11 April 1997, page 281. This company supplies machines that sequence left handed DNA.
  101. The Double Helix by James D. Watson (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1997 reprint. First published in Great Britain in 1968 by Weidenfeld & Nicolson). This is the account of the original discovery of the structure of DNA by Watson and Crick. The front and back cover of the book show left handed DNA. Good grief!
  102. QIAGEN advertisement in Science Vol 276, 25 April 1997, page 504. Cycle PCR with left handed DNA.
  103. QIAGEN advertisement in Science Vol 276, 16 May 1997, page 1018. The advertisement claims that it is now easy to extract left handed DNA from a variety of plants that look much like Earth plants. Beware! Because of their reversed biochemistry, they are probably poisonous to eat.
  104. Shering-Plough advertisement in Science Vol 276, 16 May 1997, page 1143. Left handed DNA is next to outlines of beings similar to humans.
  105. The journal Human Mutation has a web page that appears to be reporting on newly discovered mutations in CT (contra-terran, ie anti-matter and therefore reversed handed) humans. (It has recently been shown that not only are there biochemically reversed left handed animals, whose biochemistry is reversed, but also there are those that are reversed because they are made of antimatter. ;-) (Note: The print journal cover is right handed.)
  106. Technology Review July 1997 page 47. A left handed DNA winds around a medical staff.
  107. The Science Class You Wish You Had: Seven Greatest Scientific Discoveries in History and the People Who Made Them, by David Eliot Brody and Arnold R. Brody, Paperback, 400 pages. Published by Berkley Pub Group, ISBN: 0399523138. The cover of the book shows a left handed DNA, so the text may be especially meaningful for CT humans.
  108. Science advertisement in Science Vol 276, 27 June 1997, page 2084. Three flags made from left handed DNA, with a heading that "THE RACE IS ON ..." in the competition between CT and regular humans!
  109. PE Applied Biosystems Customer Support booklet, "Giving you the help you need" for your (left handed?) DNA sequencing machine.
  110. The cover of the book DNA Markers: Protocols, Applications and Overviews edited by Gustavo Caetano-Anolles and Peter M. Gresshoff (John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1997) shows that this book is only for left handed CT humans.
  111. The cover of the book From GENES to CELLS by Stephen Bolsover (Editor), Jeremy S. Hayms, Steve Jones, Elizabeth A. Shepard, and Hugh A. White (John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1997) shows that this book is ALSO only for left handed CT humans. ISBN 0-471-59792-9
  112. The advertisement for the two books mentioned above, a flier from John Wiley & Sons, Inc also has a left handed DNA on it. There are two copies of each book cover, for a GRAND TOTAL OF FIVE IN ONE SHOT - a true record!
  113. The New York Times Science Times section, Tuesday, October 21, 1997 page B9 shows two DNA helices, one associated with nucleosome "spools" and the other associated with a baby sucking a pacifier and holding a teddy bear. But is the baby human? (Thanks to William R Mcclure for pointing this one out.)
  114. BioTechnica advertisement in Science Vol 276, 19 September 1997, page 1852-3. "From Science to Buisness". CT technology advances: no longer just science, it is now involved in world business.
  115. A catalogue from BioSupplyNet Inc. has a right handed DNA on the front cover and a left handed one on the back cover.
  116. The Second NIH Symposium On Therapeutic Oligonucleotides: Targeting Transcription Factors and Signaling Pathways (December 5, 1997, NIH, Bethesda, MD) has a beautiful poster full of left handed DNAs. At NIH, we of course must consider therapeutics for both normal and CT humans.
  117. Science Vol 278, 5 December 1997, page 1713. Genomic vaccines are being made with mixtures of regular and CT DNA.
  118. W. Yang and K. Mizuuchi, Site-specific recombination in plane view, Structure, 5: 1401-1406, 1997. Figure 1 on page 1402 shows the strand breakage and reunion in site-specific recombination in the Lambda Int family. At the moment of rejoining the DNA strands all switch from right handed to left handed symmetry. The topological consequences of this switch have not been carefully considered.
  119. R. V. Miller, Bacterial Gene Swapping in Nature, Scientific American 278: 66-71 (January 1998). pages 69 shows transformation of a bacterium by left handed DNA.
  120. Library of Science (A Newbridge Book Club) Advertisement flyer for molecular biology books, 1997 December 31, shows a spectacular right handed DNA switching midstream into a left handed one, and a large left handed one in between the "bible for molecular biologists" and "[almost] an entire library of contemporary molecular biology [squeezed] into one volume".
  121. Elsevier Science web page gif noticed on 1997 December 31 at Gene-Combis
    It's pretty easy to see, but making it bigger makes clear that the left handed twist runs through the entire image:
  122. Elsevier Science web page gif noticed on 1997 December 31 at Gene-Combis Features. You don't believe me? I couldn't believe there was a second one either. Here it is enlarged:
  123. Elsevier Science web page gif noticed on 1997 December 31 at GeneCombis for the journal Gene (They did this on the cover of the journal in 1996, item #41.)
    Again, we need to enlarge the left hand part to see the left handed twist:

  124. Henninghausen et al report in The Journal of Biological Chemistry (272: 7567-7569, page 7568, if you have a subscription, you can look at the pdf) that prolactin signaling by Stat5A and Stat5b requires binding to left handed DNA. new as of 2001 April 18 (Thanks to Andrew Farkas, af@alumni.princeton.edu, for pointing this one out!)

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    1998

  125. AGenDA Inc., Advanced Genetic Diagnostic Associates provides Parentage Testing, Genetic Disease Screening, Diagnostic Testing, and Forensic Testing for CT humans. (Thanks to Juan Pablo Martinez-Soriano, Ph.D. Lab. Patologia Molecular CINVESTAV Unidad Irapuato Apdo. postal 629 Irapuato, Gto MEXICO http://www.suva.cinvestav.mx/ irapuato/jpms.html E-mail: jpms@irapuato.ira.cinvestav.mx Voice (462) 39637 Fax (462) 45996 for pointing this one out!)

  126. QIAGEN advertisement in Structure Vol 5, No 12 15 December 1997. "... it's never been so easy!" to do PCR on CT DNA.
  127. QIAGEN web site icon 1998 January 12. They have some wonderful technical resources which magnify CT DNA.
  128. Biogen advertisement in Science Vol 279, 23 January 1998, page 592. "Biogen offers what few companies in our industry can", but they are quiet about the CT projects they are working on, although this is shown prominantly in the advertisement.
  129. DNA Isolation Lab Kit Introduces students to the molecular biology of Left handed DNA. The kit allows the student to extract DNA, precipitate it, spool and observe a mass of DNA from CT organisms. to Florida Plants online, who sell this kit, for asking "What's wrong with this box cover?" on their web page. THIS KIT IS REQUIRED HOMEWORK FOR ALL CREATIONISTS AND PEOPLE WHO DO NOT "BELIEVE IN DNA"!

    The New Creationism: Biology Under Attack
    By Barbara Ehrenreich and Janet McIntosh
    When social psychologist Phoebe Ellsworth took the podium at a recent interdisciplinary seminar on emotions, she was already feeling rattled. Colleagues who'd presented earlier had warned her that the crowd was tough and had little patience for the reduction of human experience to numbers or bold generalizations about emotions across cultures. Ellsworth had a plan: She would pre-empt criticism by playing the critic, offering a social history of psychological approaches to the topic. But no sooner had the word "experiment" passed her lips than the hands shot up. Audience members pointed out that the experimental method is the brainchild of white Victorian males. Ellsworth agreed that white Victorian males had done their share of damage in the world but noted that, nonetheless, their efforts had led to the discovery of DNA. This short-lived dialogue between paradigms ground to a halt with the retort: "You believe in DNA?" http://www.thenation.com:80/issue/970609/0609ehre.htm
    The Nation Digital Edition http://www.thenation.com Copyright (c) 1997, The Nation Company, L.P. All rights reserved. Electronic redistribution for nonprofit purposes is permitted, provided this notice is attached in its entirety. Unauthorized, for-profit redistribution is prohibited. For further information regarding reprinting and syndication, please call The Nation at (212) 242-8400, ext. 226 or send e-mail to Max Block at mblock@thenation.com.

  130. Rhône-Poulenc Rorer advertisement in Nature Vol 392, 12 March 1998, page 223. They have positions for computer work on left handed DNA. "We need a leader with special qualifications dictated by this new field".
  131. Oxford Molecular advertisement in Science Vol 279, 13 March 1998, page 1744. They offer genetic sequence analysis tools for left handed DNA. This is a new advertising gimmick since the computations would be the same for right handed DNA.
  132. QIAGEN 1998 March 17. Flyer with left handed DNA inside a hour-glass.
  133. As reported on the web 1998 March 26, Aperture Imaging has discovered the original planet that the CT reversed-DNA organisms came from! (Thanks to Jan A. Witkowski, Ph.D. Banbury Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, PO Box 534, Cold Spring Harbor NY 11724-0534, (516) 549-0507, (516) 549-0672 fax, http://www.cshl.org/banbury for pointing this one out!)

  134. U. S. News & World Report (April 20 1998 page 63) report how tamoxifen can be used to prevent new tumors in CT humans. (Credit for illustration: Copyright April 20, 1998, U.S.News & World Report. Illustration by Rob Kemp for U.S.News & World Report.)

  135. Glen Research 1998 April 29. The company is now providing left handed reagents for DNA synthesis, according to the menu on their web page. Obviously this will make research into left handed DNA much easier. (Thanks to the person who pointed this case out to me - return email to your address bounced!)

  136. The Nation. April 13, 1998. The cover and on page 11 show a left handed DNA. The article by Jeremy Rifkin on "The Biotech Century: Human Life as Intellectual Property" discusses the ethical issues of using left handed DNA from reversed humans.
  137. R&D Systems advertisement in Nature volume 393, 14 May 1998 back cover. A helicase appears to be separating a left handed DNA into two strands that are partially replicated.
  138. R&D Systems is also specializing in left handed molecular biology reagents. (Web site 1998 May 14)
  139. DiaSorin advertisement in Science volume 280, 15 May 1998, page 1026. Both left and right handed DNAs floating in the sky.
  140. Genome Mapping, Sequencing & Biology Meeting, 13-17 May 1998 as reported in Science volume 280, 22 May 1998, page 1185. According to the cover of the abstract book for this meeting, a major effort is underway to sequence the left handed version of the human genome. Am I the only right handed person left on the planet?!? 8-}
  141. Science volume 280, 22 May 1998, page 1212. Two figures show regulation of left handed DNA control systems.
  142. Invitrogen advertisement in Nature volume 393, 18 June 1998, page i. A new mammalian expression kit apparently for left handed DNA mammals.
  143. Molecular Microbiology volume 28, Number 2, April 1998, Cover! Genetic control systems in left handed bacteria are being revealed. (It is also figure 1 of R. L. Smith and M. E. Maguire, Mol. Microbiol 1998 April 28(2): 217-226.)

    Dr. Maguire, who kindly sent me this image, acknowledged the error: "Clearly I missed the LH DNA, possibly because I was far more worried about the cartoonish outer membrane which is NOT a bilayer." (Figure reproduced with permission from Molecular Microbiology.)
  144. The National Instutute of Justice published a report in June 1998 The Unrealized Potential of Left Handed DNA Testing by Victor Walter Weedn and John W. Hicks. binoculars First reported on 2002 Sep 28, new as of 2002 Sep 28 (Thanks to Paul Hengen, swingdude@hotmail.com for pointing this one out!)

  145. Plant & Animal Genome VII Conference January 17 - 21, 1999. San Diego, California. Transgenic left-handed DNA animals and plants are now being discussed in major meetings. (Web site 1998 July 1) (Thanks to Juan Pablo Martinez-Soriano, Ph.D. Lab. Patologia Molecular CINVESTAV Unidad Irapuato Apdo. postal 629 Irapuato, Gto MEXICO http://www.suva.cinvestav.mx/ irapuato/jpms.html E-mail: jpms@irapuato.ira.cinvestav.mx Voice (462) 39637 Fax (462) 45996 for pointing this one out!)
  146. Quantum Biotechnologies Inc. specializes in providing left handed DNA molecular biology products
  147. Elsevier Science web page background noticed on 1998 July 2 at GeneCombis (I have modified the gif to be black and white and shrunk it. I didn't flip it over though! ;-) This is the original.
  148. U. S. News & World Report (July 27, 1998 page 43). (Illustration by Jon Macdonald for USN&WR.)
  149. DNASTAR advertisement in Science volume 281, 17 July 1998, page 308. The picture depicts the discovery of left handed DNA life forms in the sea. Some of the life forms are also right handed but the left to right ratio is 5 to 2, so *ulp* it looks like they are taking over!
  150. The Genesis Code by John F. Case. The cover of this 1997 book has a left handed DNA, and the San Francisco Examiner determined that this is "A SPELLBINDING BIOMEDICAL THRILLER . . . TERRIFYING." *ULP* I'd better read it to find out more about the situation!

  151. Genetic Maps and Human Imaginations: The Limits of Science in Understanding Who We Are by Barbara Katz Rothman. The book apparently deals with the ethical issues of sequencing humans who have left handed DNA.

  152. The Gene Letter As of August 1998, "Its main focus is on the ethical, legal and social issues that arise out of genetic advances" for both right and left handed DNA people. (They refused to allow me to show their masthead because they thought people would confuse this web site with theirs and because they think that their artist would not agree.) 1999 Jan 12: Dr. Dorothy Wertz, the chief editor, acknowledged the error.

  153. Newsweek August 24, 1998 (page 17) published a cartoon by Jack Ohman (Oregonian editorial cartoonist) indicating that left handed DNA has infiltrated the cartoon world. It is of some interest that DNA does replicate by the method depicted on the right. The little device at the bottom corresponds to the "helicase" enzymes that use the energy molecule ATP to open the DNA. (Thanks to David G. Rhodes, University of Connecticut for finding and scanning the image!)

  154. National Institutes of Health 2nd Gene Therapy Policy Conference Gene therapy policy is now being considered for left handed DNA people. Apparently the poster for the Third conference is on the same topic.

  155. International Society for History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology web page banner indicates that they are now concerned with these topics for Left handed DNA people.
  156. U. S. News & World Report (October 26, 1998 page 90). There are now plenty of jobs in left handed DNA research.
  157. Science Oct 23 1998, Volume 282, Number 5389 cover. This genome issue shows that many species have now been replaced by left handed DNA species. Are you next? ;-) The Left Handed DNA Hall of Fame was listed in Science 13 November 1998: 282 (5392): 1223, NetWatch Hot Picks (The directlink will only work if you have a subscription.) (Unfortunately the web site was listed as www.lecb instead of www.lecb in the NetWatch article and its first correction (Science 27 November 1998: 282 (5394): 1646). The second correction (Science 4 December 1998: 282 (5395): 1827) is correct. Thanks to our sysadmins, both work as of 1999 Feb 16.)
  158. QIAGEN advertisement in Science on Friday 13 November 1998: 282 (5392):1224, curiously placed on the back side of the page announcing this web site . Just in case you were not sure which way the DNA turns, they announce a new hot line: "Questions about molecular biology?" Below this they show a red phone with a left handed cord of DNA. As John Ludwig, a Microsoft vice president in charge of Java development wrote in an internal email, ``Subversion has always been our best tactic. Subversion is almost invariably a better tactic than a frontal assault . . . it leaves the competition confused, they don't know what to shoot at anymore.'' The CT people have gotten really subtle. (Thanks to Paul Brown BROWNP@cder.fda.gov for pointing this scary one out!)
  159. U. S. News & World Report (November 23 1998 page 58), "Miracle Vaccines". They report that certain pathogens have been discovered to contain both left and right handed DNA. To fight these, the right handed DNA can be extracted and used in a naked DNA vaccine, as shown in this diagram. People with right handed DNA will then express antigens against the right handed proteins on the surface and therefore will be protected from the disease. This is a very smart use of molecular technology! It is still mysterious how these pathogens live using both kinds of DNA. (Credit for illustration: Copyright November 23, 1998, U.S.News & World Report. Illustration by Rod Little for U.S.News & World Report.)
  160. DNA Pioneers and Their Legacy by Ulf Lagerkvist, Yale University Press (1998) ISBN 0-300-07184-1. This book reveals that many of the pioneers of DNA technology have left handed DNA!! (Thanks to Jack Tessman, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Tufts University, Medford MA 02155, jack@silcon.com for pointing this one out! He wanted to be acknowledged because ``That way, for a fleeting moment, there will be a Tessman at each end of the list.'' Irwin is his brother ... ;-)
    as of 1998 Nov 25
  161. PBS reports on the new left handed DNA vaccines. (Thanks to Brenda Clewell (clewell@roo.susqu.edu) of Susquehanna University for pointing this one out!)
    as of 1998 Nov 29
    1999

    Our Story So Far: The story line, if you have not had time to follow the previous 150 or so entries (!) is my slow realization that earth is being invaded by left handed DNA people ...

  162. Invitrogen web page background as of 1999 Jan 9. The company specializes in left handed DNA products.
  163. Altheatech advertisement in BioTechniques Vol. 26, No. 1, January 1999. They have purified left handed DNA from a purple and orange snake. This appears to be a native of the CT planet! Jane Maxwell, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, indicates that they discovered this error after they it had gone to print. This image is posted with permission.

  164. Time January 11, 1999, page 49. Genetic footprinting of left handed DNA was reportedly done by Alec Jeffreys in 1984! (Thanks to Antonio Regalado, regalado@mit.edu, Associate Editor Technology Review Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Bldg. W59-200, 201 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139 for sending me the image.)

  165. The January 1999 Volume 14 Number 1 cover of the journal Spectroscopy indicates that spectroscopic studies are now being performed on left handed DNA. Other than polarization effects, I would expect this to be the same as right handed DNA, but the article doesn't seem to mention it. (Art direction by Sandy Kupsch, image number 59175 from PhotoDisc, Inc. Use their search engine with the word "DNA" to find their inverted DNA image.) The error was acknowledged by Mike MacRae, the Spectroscopy editor and Jennifer Yerkes of PhotoDisc. (Thanks to David G. Rhodes, University of Connecticut for finding sending me the journal issue!)