Step 1: Understanding DNA structure.
DNA is composed of four nucleotide bases: Adenine (A), Thymine (T), Guanine (G), and Cytosine (C).
Step 2: Chargaff's contribution.
- Erwin Chargaff observed that in any DNA molecule:
\[
\text{A = T and G = C}
\]
- This rule is called Chargaff's rule.
Step 3: Significance.
- Proportionality of base pairing was critical in understanding the double helix structure of DNA.
- It implied that purines (A, G) pair with pyrimidines (T, C) in a 1:1 ratio.
Step 4: Experiments by others.
- Griffith: transformation experiments with bacteria, unrelated to base pairing.
- Hercules: not associated with DNA research.
- Watson: co-discovered DNA structure, used Chargaff's data.
Step 5: Conclusion.
Therefore, the proportionality of DNA-nucleotide base pairing was observed by Erwin Chargaff.