Chapter 14.1, Problem 1SB

Summary Introduction

To review:

The differences between results of Hershey and Chase’s original experiment and in new experiment in which ³⁵S (radioactive isotope of sulfur) labeled both protein and DNA, whereas ³²P (radioactive isotope of phosphorous) labeled only DNA.

Introduction:

Living beings transfer characters from one generation to another and the molecule responsible for transferring these characters is called genetic material. In the first half of the 20th century, scientists wondered which molecule of cell contains the genetic material; different scientists performed different experiments to find it. Hershey and Chase’s experiment gave evidence that DNA is the genetic material, after the experiments of Griffith (a substance transformed the bacteria pneumonia genetically), and the experiments of Avery and his coworkers (DNA is the genetic material that transformed nonvirulent bacteria to virulent bacteria).