Hershey & Chase Experiment Questions

What is a bacteriophage and how does it infect a cell?

• A virus that infects and replicates inside bacteria; It infects by becoming a beneficial parasite

• A virus that infects and replicates inside bacteria; It infects by injecting its DNA and attaching its protein shell

• A bacterium that engulfs a virus via endosymbiosis

• A eukaryotic cell that kills viruses

How did Hershey and Chase "tag" the bacteriophages and why was this important?

• They did not "tag" the bacteriophages, they simply observed the DNA transfer under a microscope

• Phosphorus-32 in the bacteriophage, this was important because it measured whether the DNA transferred to the bacterium

• Sulfur-35 in the bacteriophage, this was important because it measured whether the DNA transferred to the bacterium

• Phosphorus-32 in the bacterium, this was important because it measured whether the bacterium transferred its DNA to the bacteriophage

How were the components later separated and why was this important?

• A Waring blender that disturbed the bacteria, separating the protein shells from the bacteriophages and bacteria for examination

• Distillation that disturbed the bacteria, separating the protein shells from the bacteriophages and bacteria for examination

• Beating the contents with a hammer that disturbed the bacteria, separating the protein shells from the bacteriophages and bacteria for examination

• Introducing a solution that disturbed the bacteria, separating the protein shells from the bacteriophages and bacteria for examination

What was the dependent variable?

• The presence of phosphorus-32 in the protein shell and the presence of sulfur-35 in the bacterial cell

• The presence of phosphorus-32 in the bacterial cell and the presence of sulfur-35 in the bacterial cell

• The presence of phosphorus-32 in the bacterial cell and the presence of sulfur-35 in the protein shell

• The presence of phosphorus-32 in the protein shell and the presence of sulfur-35 in the protein shell

What was the independent variable and what different types were there?

• The use of different radioactive isotopes like Sulfur-35 in the proteins and Phosphorus-32 in the DNA

• The use of different radioactive isotopes like Carbon-14 and Uranium-235

• The use of different radioactive isotopes like Sulfur-35 in the DNA and Phosphorus-32 in the Proteins

• Proteins, all types

What was the conclusion at the end of the experiment?

• Neither proteins or DNA are the source of genetic material

• DNA is the source of genetic material

• Proteins are the source of genetic material

• Whether proteins or DNA is the genetic material varies based on what organism is attempting to reproduce