Friedrich Miescher (1844 - 1895) on nuclein

    Miescher collected single-cell leukocytes from pus in bandages, and subjected them to various chemical treatments. Gentle lysis of of leukocytes in salt solution produced intact nuclei, which upon precipitation and chemical analysis produced a substance with a very high content of phosphoric acid (PO₄). This contrasted sharply with other known cellular components, such as sulfur-containing protein, and CHO-rich cell components such as carbohydrates and lipids. Miescher named this new material nuclein. The significance of the difference in composition remained unknown in Miescher's lifetime. We now know this substance as nucleic acid, and recognize the PO₄ as a component of the helical backbone.

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