Campbell Biology in Focus, Books a la Carte Edition; Modified Mastering Biology with Pearson eText - ValuePack Access Card - for Campbell Biology in Focus (2nd Edition)
bartleby

Videos

Textbook Question
Book Icon
Chapter 13, Problem 1TYU

In his work with pneumonia-causing bacteria and mice, Griffith found that

  1. a. the protein coat from pathogenic cells was able to transform nonpathogenic cells.
  2. b. heat-killed pathogenic cells caused pneumonia.
  3. c. some substance from pathogenic cells was transferred to nonpathogenic cells, making them pathogenic.
  4. d. the polysaccharide coat of bacteria caused pneumonia.
Expert Solution & Answer
Check Mark
Summary Introduction

Introduction:

Griffith has conducted experiments on mice by injecting live and dead strains of bacteria inside their bodies. The experiments revealed that some material was present in the strain of bacteria, which caused the infection in mice. He injected live and attenuated strains of bacteria in mice. The mice, which were injected with heat attenuated strains survived, but the mice, which were injected with live strains of the bacteria died.

After this step, he injected both live and attenuated strains of bacteria and observed that some substance caused the death of these mice by converting the attenuated strain into a live strain of the bacteria into these cells. This process of the transfer of genetic information is called as “transformation”. The substance was found out to be smooth and rough coat of polysaccharides present on the outer surface of the bacteria.

Answer to Problem 1TYU

Correct answer:

The infection of the mice with a live strain of the bacteria caused infection as compared to the injection of the heat attenuated strain of the bacteria, which prevented infection. Therefore, option (C) is correct.

Explanation of Solution

Reason for the correct statement:

The infection of the mice with heat attenuated strains prevented the death of bacteria, but infection with the live strains of bacteria caused the death of bacteria in the Griffith experiments. The infecting substance was found out to be the rough and smooth coat of the polysaccharide present on the surface of bacteria. The smooth coat was found to be pathogenic and rough coat non-pathogenic.

Option (C) is given as “some substance from pathogenic cells was transferred to nonpathogenic cells, making them pathogenic”.

“In his work with pneumonia-causing bacteria and mice, Griffith found that some substance from pathogenic cells was transferred to nonpathogenic cells, making them pathogenic”, it is the right answer.

Hence, option (C) is correct.

Reasons for the incorrect statements:

Option (A) is given as “the protein coat from pathogenic cells was able to transform nonpathogenic cells”.

The protein coat of polysaccharides consists of smooth and rough strains, but the death of mice was due to the live strain as compared to the heat attenuated strain of bacteria. So, it is a wrong answer.

Option (B) is given as “heat-killed pathogenic caused pneumonia”.

The heat killed bacteria are non-pathogenic and did not cause disease. So, it is a wrong answer.

Option (D) is given as “the polysaccharide coat of bacteria caused pneumonia”.

The disease, pneumonia was caused due to the polysaccharides present on the surface of bacteria that were not attenuated by heat killing method. So, it is a wrong answer.

Hence, options (A), (B), and (D) are incorrect.

Conclusion

The experiments of Griffith concluded that the death of mice was caused by injecting of live strains of bacteria as compared to the heat killed dead strains of bacteria

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!
Students have asked these similar questions
Why was the cold ethanol added to the soap and salt mixture?   A To digest the cell walls   B To dissolve the RNA   C To emulsify lipids and remove large cellular debris   D To precipitate the DNA   E To denature the cytoplasmic proteins
Scientists have used genetic technology to develop strains of bacteria that are especially suited for cleaning up oil spills.How would you evaluate the use of this technology?
How do we call the type of point mutation in which an A->U change occurs in the codon for the sixth amino acid in hemoglobin chain b? a) Inversion b) Transversion c) Transition d) Transamination

Additional Science Textbook Solutions

Find more solutions based on key concepts
Knowledge Booster
Background pattern image
Biology
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, biology and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Similar questions
SEE MORE QUESTIONS
Recommended textbooks for you
  • Text book image
    Concepts of Biology
    Biology
    ISBN:9781938168116
    Author:Samantha Fowler, Rebecca Roush, James Wise
    Publisher:OpenStax College
Text book image
Concepts of Biology
Biology
ISBN:9781938168116
Author:Samantha Fowler, Rebecca Roush, James Wise
Publisher:OpenStax College
Bacterial Infections in Humans; Author: Professor Dave Explains;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeFKAl9KyMg;License: Standard Youtube License