Exploring the Hershey and Chase Experiment

The video tutorial covers the Hershey and Chase experiment, which aimed to determine whether DNA or protein is the genetic material. Initially, proteins were thought to be the genetic material, but experiments by Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty suggested DNA's role. Hershey and Chase labeled bacteriophage proteins with S-35 and DNA with P-32, allowing them to track which component entered bacteria during infection. The experiment concluded that DNA is the genetic material, as radioactivity was found in the bacterial cells, indicating the presence of P-32 labeled DNA.

Before Hershey and Chase, what did most biologists believe was the genetic material?

• Proteins

• Lipids

• DNA

• RNA

What year did Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty suggest DNA might be the genetic material?

• 1922

• 1953

• 1944

• 1961

What was used to label the protein in the Hershey and Chase experiment?

• O18

• C14

• S35

• P32

What was used to label the DNA in the Hershey and Chase experiment?

• C14

• O18

• S35

• P32

What method was used to separate the bacteriophage from the bacteria after infection?

• Blender and centrifugation

• Electrophoresis

• Precipitation

• Filtration

What did the presence of radioactivity in the bacterial pellets indicate?

• Protein is the genetic material

• DNA is the genetic material

• RNA is the genetic material

• Lipids are the genetic material

What element was used to label the DNA in the experiment?

• Phosphorus

• Sulfur

• Carbon

• Oxygen

What was the main conclusion of the Hershey and Chase experiment?

• Lipids are the genetic material

• RNA is the genetic material

• DNA is the genetic material

• Proteins are the genetic material