The Hershey-Chase experiment concluded that genetic material is composed of DNA because the radiolabel found inside the bacterial cells was associated with:

The Hershey-Chase experiment concluded that genetic material is composed of DNA because the radiolabel found inside the bacterial cells was associated with:

• A. Protein from the phage coat
• B. Phospholipid membrane components
• C. RNA synthesized by the host
• D. DNA from the phage

Answer: (D)

The main idea being tested is which part of a virus actually carries the genetic instructions into a host cell. Hershey and Chase used two radioactive labels: one that marks DNA (phosphorus) and one that marks protein (sulfur). After allowing infection, they blended away the outer coats and looked to see where the radioactivity ended up. The radioactivity inside the bacterial cells matched the label for DNA, not the label for protein, meaning the genetic material that enters the cell is the phage DNA. This is why the experiment concluded that DNA is the genetic material.

The main idea being tested is which part of a virus actually carries the genetic instructions into a host cell. Hershey and Chase used two radioactive labels: one that marks DNA (phosphorus) and one that marks protein (sulfur). After allowing infection, they blended away the outer coats and looked to see where the radioactivity ended up. The radioactivity inside the bacterial cells matched the label for DNA, not the label for protein, meaning the genetic material that enters the cell is the phage DNA. This is why the experiment concluded that DNA is the genetic material.