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How Does DNA Carry Genetic Information?

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DNA is the heritable molecule for all life on earth. But many scientist and researchers originally thought that protein was the genetic material. According to the article, “Revealing DNA as the molecule of life”, scientists initially thought that DNA was too simple a molecule to be able to carry genetic information.” Proteins seemed stronger for storing genetic information and “fit the requirements for heredity.” However, despite this theory, scientist have conducted experiments to inform that DNA actually carries genetic information.

In 1928, Frederick Griffith experimented on the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae, which causes pneumonia in humans on mice. Griffith used two strains of bacteria, R and S. Bacteria S, named after it’s smooth appearance had an outer capsule which protected it from the mouse immune system causing it to be pathogenic. (disease-causing) Bacteria R, having a rough appearance lacking a capsule and nonpathogenic (harmless). Griffith injected mice with heat bacteria S, which did not kill mice. Griffith combined bacteria R with heat bacteria S to inject into a mouse, which killed the mouse. He also discovered the bacteria R has changed into a bacteria S. Griffith conclude his results as the “transforming principle”, creating the term transformation. Transformation is the process in which one strain of bacteria is changed by a gene or genes from …show more content…
T2 infects the bacterium E.coli and it can only replicate if it entirely infects the cell. T2 has composed of DNA and a protein. Hershey and Chase proceeded with the experiment by adding a radioactive label to the DNA of the virus. This resulted in viruses that were radioactive. They used the same procedure for the protein which resulted in the exact opposite of viruses that are not radioactive. This gave evidence that DNA carries genetic information to be

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