Question

please explain the Hershey-Chase experiment

Answer 1

Hershey and Martha chase took some bacteriophages and infected bacteria(E.coli) with them. The radioactive S attached with protein and radioactive P attached with DNA. This showed that DNA is the genetic material.

This is the short summary. You can read about it in your NCERT in detail.

Answer 2

• Hershey and Chase found that when the viral protein was labelled with S35 the radioactivity remained in the supernatant.

• This showed that the viral proteins have not entered the bacterial cells during infection.

• But when the viral DNA was labelled using P32 the radioactivity was found in the bacterial pellet.

• This showed that the viral DNA entered the bacterial cell during infection.

• This viral DNA causes the multiplication of the phage inside the bacterium.