Explain how the Hershey and Chase experiment identified DNA as the hereditary molecule.

Verified step by step guidance

1. The Hershey and Chase experiment used bacteriophages, which are viruses that infect bacteria, to determine whether DNA or protein was the genetic material.
2. They labeled the DNA of the phages with radioactive phosphorus-32 (\(^{32}\text{P}\)) and the protein coat with radioactive sulfur-35 (\(^{35}\text{S}\)), as DNA contains phosphorus but not sulfur, and proteins contain sulfur but not phosphorus.
3. The labeled phages were allowed to infect bacteria, and then a blender was used to separate the phage coats from the bacterial cells.
4. After centrifugation, the bacteria formed a pellet at the bottom of the tube, while the phage coats remained in the supernatant.
5. They found that the radioactive phosphorus (\(^{32}\text{P}\)) was inside the bacterial cells, indicating that DNA was the material injected by the phages into the bacteria, while the radioactive sulfur (\(^{35}\text{S}\)) remained in the supernatant, indicating that proteins were not the genetic material.

Key Concepts

Hershey and Chase Experiment

The Hershey and Chase experiment, conducted in 1952, utilized bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) to determine whether DNA or protein was the genetic material. They labeled the DNA with radioactive phosphorus and the protein with radioactive sulfur, then tracked which component entered the bacterial cells. The results showed that only the DNA entered the cells, indicating that DNA is the hereditary molecule.

Bacteriophages

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria. They consist of a protein coat and genetic material, which can be either DNA or RNA. In the Hershey and Chase experiment, phages were used as a model to study the transfer of genetic information, providing a clear system to distinguish between DNA and protein as the hereditary substance.

Radioactive Labeling

Radioactive labeling is a technique used to trace the movement of molecules in biological experiments. In the Hershey and Chase experiment, the researchers used radioactive isotopes to label DNA and protein separately. This allowed them to track which component was responsible for carrying genetic information into the bacterial cells, ultimately demonstrating that DNA, not protein, was the hereditary material.