The experiments that clearly distinguished DNA and not protein as the hereditary material were conducted by _____.
A) Pauling
B) Hershey and Chase
C) Griffith
D) Watson and Crick
E) Avery

Question

The experiments that clearly distinguished DNA and not protein as the hereditary material were conducted by _____.  
A) Pauling
B) Hershey and Chase
C) Griffith
D) Watson and Crick
E) Avery

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Hershey and Chase conducted experiments using bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) and labeled their DNA and proteins with radioactive isotopes. They found that only the labeled DNA was transferred to the bacteria, providing strong evidence that DNA, not protein, was the genetic material. Pauling is known for his work on the structure of proteins, not DNA. Griffith's experiments with Streptococcus pneumoniae demonstrated the transforming principle, but did not distinguish between DNA and protein as the genetic material. Watson and Crick proposed the double helix structure of DNA, but did not conduct experiments to distinguish it from proteins. Avery's experiments also demonstrated the transformation of bacteria and identified DNA as a candidate for the genetic material, but Hershey and Chase's experiments were more definitive in establishing DNA as the hereditary material.

The Experiments That Clearly Distinguished DNA and Not Protein as the Hereditary