Question

"In experiments using T2 viruses to discern the genetic material, certain elements were radioactively labeled. Which radioactive material in T2 viruses was found in bacteria?

Answer 1

Phosphorus-32

Step-by-step explanation:

Alfred D. Hershey and Martha Chase radiolabelled phosphorus as 32P and sulfur as 35S. This was done to observe if the radio labeled sulfur-containing protein coat or the radio-labeled P containing DNA enters the host cell. They showed that when the bacterial virus T2 infects Escherichia coli cells, the radioactive phosphorus-containing DNA of the viral particle enters the host cells. The host cells do not show the radio-labeled sulfur-containing protein of the viral coat. This proved that DNA, not the proteins is the genetic material.