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The Search for Genetic Material, Principle, Properties, and MCQs

The Search for Genetic Material, Learn about the search for genetic material, Principles, biochemical characterization, and Properties of genetic material.
authorImageKrati Saraswat5 Jun, 2025
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The Search for Genetic Material, Principle, Properties, and MCQs

The search for genetic material has been a crucial chapter in the history of biology. It answers how traits and characteristics are passed from parents to offspring. Initially, scientists debated whether proteins or DNA were responsible for heredity. Years of research and experimentation eventually revealed that DNA is the molecule of inheritance. For the NEET Exam , this topic is essential because it forms the basis of molecular biology and genetics, which are core parts of the syllabus.

The Search for Genetic Material

In the early 1900s, scientists understood that chromosomes played a role in inheritance. However, chromosomes are made up of proteins and DNA, and it was unclear which component carried the genetic information. Proteins , being diverse and complex, were initially considered the likely candidates. However, experiments conducted later showed that DNA is the genetic material responsible for storing and transmitting information from one generation to the next. This breakthrough laid the foundation for modern genetics and biotechnology. The following experiments and discoveries proved pivotal in this journey.

Transforming Principle – Griffith's Experiment

Frederick Griffith’s work in 1928 provided the first clue about the existence of a “transforming principle.” He studied Streptococcus pneumoniae, a bacterium that causes pneumonia, and worked with two types of strains:
  • S strain: A smooth-coated, disease-causing (virulent) bacterium.
  • R strain: A rough-coated, harmless (non-virulent) bacterium.
Griffith injected these strains into mice and observed their effects:
  • The S strain killed the mice.
  • The R strain did not harm the mice.
  • Heat-killed S strain alone was harmless.
A combination of heat-killed S strain and live R strain killed the mice, and live S strain bacteria were recovered from their bodies. 

Biochemical Characterization of the Transforming Principle

In 1944, Oswald Avery, Colin MacLeod, and Maclyn McCarty worked to identify the transforming principle discovered by Griffith. They isolated various components of the S strain and treated them with specific enzymes to determine which component was responsible for transformation. Their findings were significant:
  • Enzymes that destroyed proteins or RNA did not stop the transformation.
  • Enzymes that destroyed DNA prevented transformation from occurring.
This experiment demonstrated that DNA was the molecule responsible for carrying genetic information. Despite initial skepticism from the scientific community, their results became a cornerstone in the study of genetics.

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Properties of Genetic Material

For a molecule to act as genetic material, it must fulfill specific criteria:
  • Ability to Replicate : It should be able to make copies of itself to pass on information during reproduction.
  • Stability : It should remain stable over generations, while allowing minor changes (mutations) to drive evolution.
  • Information Storage: It must hold instructions for the organism’s development and functioning.
  • Variation : It should allow changes to occur, enabling diversity among organisms.
Physics Wallah (PW) offers NEET Online Coaching in India, designed to make quality education accessible to all aspiring medical students.

MCQs of The Search for Genetic Material

Q1. The quest to determine the mechanism for genetic inheritance had reached the molecular level in;

  1. 1928
  2. 1938
  3. 1926
  4. 1953

Q2. The term ‘Nuclein’ for genetic material was used by;

  1. Meischer
  2. Chargaff
  3. Mendel
  4. Franklin

Answers of MCQs of The Search for Genetic Material

Ans1. 1926, Ans2. Meischer
NEET Exam Important Links
NEET Syllabus NEET Biology Diagrams
NEET Biology MCQ NEET Biology Chapter wise Weightage
NEET Biology Notes NEET Previous Year Question papers

The Search for Genetic Material FAQs

Q. What is the genetic material?

Ans. Genetic material is the substance that stores and passes hereditary information. DNA is the primary genetic material in most organisms, while RNA serves this role in some viruses.

Q. How do you find genetic material?

Ans. Experiments like Griffith’s transformation study and Avery’s biochemical research identified DNA as the molecule responsible for heredity.

Q. Who searched for genetic material and DNA as genetic material?

Ans. Frederick Griffith discovered the transforming principle, and Oswald Avery, along with his team, proved that DNA is the genetic material.

Q. What was the experiment in the search for genetic material?

Ans. Griffith’s experiment showed that genetic information could be transferred between bacteria, while Avery’s work confirmed that DNA was responsible for this transformation.
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