Hershey-Chase Experiment DNA Evidence — NEET Biology
📚 Practice Concept📖 NCERT Source
Bacteria which was infected with viruses that had radioactive DNA were radioactive, indicating that DNA was the material that passed from the virus to the bacteria. Bacteria that were infected with viruses that had radioactive proteins were not radioactive. This indicates that proteins did not enter the bacteria from the viruses. DNA is therefore the genetic material that is passed from virus to bacteria.
🖼️Related NCERT figure: Diagram showing the Hershey-Chase experiment with two parallel columns comparing bacteriophages with radioactive protein capsule (labeled with 35S) versus radioactive DNA (labeled with 32P). The diagram shows three steps: 1. Infection - phages attaching to E. coli bacteria, 2. Blending - viral coats being removed, 3. Centrifugation - separation and detection results. The left column shows no radioactive 35S detected in cells but radioactive 35S detected in supernatant. The right column shows radioactive 32P detected in cells but no radioactivity detected in supernatant. (Figure 5.5 The Hershey-Chase experiment)
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A bacteriophage infects E. coli and transfers only its DNA inside the host. Which experiment and evolutionary implication does this support?
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