Suppose Meselson and Stahl labelled bacterial DNA with heavy nitrogen (15N, a stable isotope) and with radioactive carbon (14C), then allowed the bacteria to grow two generations in the presence of light nitrogen and non-radioactive carbon. If they extracted the DNA from the second generation of bacteria and centrifuged it:   how many bands of DNA would there be in the centrifuge tube,   where would the bands be in the centrifuge tube (top/least dense to bottom/most dense),   for each band, what fraction of the total DNA would it represent and …   which bands would be radioactive?

Human Anatomy & Physiology (11th Edition)
11th Edition
ISBN:9780134580999
Author:Elaine N. Marieb, Katja N. Hoehn
Publisher:Elaine N. Marieb, Katja N. Hoehn
Chapter1: The Human Body: An Orientation
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1RQ: The correct sequence of levels forming the structural hierarchy is A. (a) organ, organ system,...
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Suppose Meselson and Stahl labelled bacterial DNA with heavy nitrogen (15N, a stable isotope) and with radioactive carbon (14C), then allowed the bacteria to grow two generations in the presence of light nitrogen and non-radioactive carbon. If they extracted the DNA from the second generation of bacteria and centrifuged it:

 

  1. how many bands of DNA would there be in the centrifuge tube,

 

  1. where would the bands be in the centrifuge tube (top/least dense to bottom/most dense),

 

  1. for each band, what fraction of the total DNA would it represent and …

 

  1. which bands would be radioactive?

 

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