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Hershey and Chase Experiment, DNA as the Genetic Material

Hershey and Chase Experiment, Learn about the Hershey and Chase experiment, which provided groundbreaking evidence that DNA is the genetic material, resolving the debate between DNA and proteins.
authorImageKrati Saraswat5 Jun, 2025
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Hershey and Chase Experiment

Hershey and Chase experiment conducted in 1952 by Alfred Hershey and Martha Chase is a fundamental study in molecular biology. It demonstrated that DNA is the genetic material. Before this experiment, there was uncertainty about whether DNA or proteins carried hereditary information. This discovery is crucial for the NEET Exam as it lays the foundation for understanding molecular genetics.

Hershey and Chase Experiment

The experiment utilized bacteriophages , which are viruses that infect bacteria. These viruses attach to a bacterial cell, inject their genetic material, and force the bacteria to produce more viruses. The researchers wanted to identify whether this genetic material was DNA or protein. They used radioactive labeling to distinguish between the two components:
  • Sulfur-35 (35S^35S35S) : Incorporated into the protein coat of the viruses because sulfur is a part of proteins.
  • Phosphorus-32 (32P^32P32P) : Incorporated into the DNA of the viruses since phosphorus is a key element in DNA.

Steps involved in the Hershey and Chase Experiment

  • Infection: Radioactively labeled bacteriophages (35S^35S35S for proteins and 32P^32P32P for DNA) were allowed to infect E. coli bacteria. During this process, the genetic material was injected into the bacterial cells.
  • Blending: The infected bacterial cells were agitated in a blender to separate the viral particles that remained on the surface from the bacteria.
  • Centrifugation: The mixture was spun in a centrifuge to separate the heavier bacterial cells from the lighter viral particles. The bacterial cells formed a pellet at the bottom, while the viral particles remained in the liquid.

Observations

In the experiment using 35S^35S35S-labeled proteins, radioactivity was detected in the supernatant, indicating that the protein coat did not enter the bacterial cells. In the experiment using 32P^32P32P-labeled DNA, radioactivity was found in the pellet, showing that DNA entered the bacterial cells.

Also Check:

MCQs of Hershey and Chase Experiment

Q1. steps of the Hershey - Chase experiment in order is;

  1. Blending, Infection, Centrifugation
  2. Centrifugation, Injection, Blending
  3. Infection, Centrifugation, Blending
  4. Infection, Blending, Centrifugation

Q2. A bacterium grown over medium having radioactive 35S incorporates radioactivity in;

  1. Carbohydrates
  2. Proteins
  3. DNA
  4. RNA

Q3. Which scientist conducted an experiment with 32P and 35S labeled phages to demonstrate that DNA is the genetic material?

  1. James D. Watson and F.H. C. Crick
  2. A. D Hershey and M.J. Chase
  3. F. Griffith
  4. O.T. Avery, C.M. MacLeod, and M. McCarty

Answers of MCQs of Hershey and Chase Experiment

Ans1. Infection, Blending, Centrifugation, Ans2. Proteins, Ans3. A. D Hershey and M.J. Chase Physics Wallah (PW) offers NEET Online Coaching in India, designed to make quality education accessible to all aspiring medical students.
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Hershey and Chase Experiment FAQs

Q. What did the Chase and Hershey experiments in 1952 determine?

Ans. The experiments demonstrated that DNA is the genetic material responsible for heredity, not proteins.

Q. Which bacteriophage was used in the Hershey-Chase experiment?

Ans. The experiment used the T2 bacteriophage, which infects E. coli bacteria.

Q. How did Hershey and Chase differentiate between DNA and protein in their experiment while proving that DNA is the genetic material?

Ans. They used radioactive sulfur (35S^35S35S) to label proteins and radioactive phosphorus (32P^32P32P) to label DNA, tracking which component entered the bacteria.

Q. What did Alfred Hershey and Martha Chase discover?

Ans. They discovered that DNA, not protein, is the genetic material passed from bacteriophages to bacteria.

Q. What was the conclusion of the Hershey and Chase experiment?

Ans. The conclusion of the Hershey and Chase experiment was that DNA is the genetic material. The experiment demonstrated that it was the DNA, not the protein coat, that entered the bacterial cells and carried genetic information.
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