Viruses and The Hershey-Chase Experiment

Viruses are not considered to be “living” and thus are not

counted amongst the kingdoms or domains of life.

In general, viruses consist of little more than strands of

DNA or RNA surrounded by a protective protein coat.

Since they have no cellular organelles, viruses must

“hijack”, the cellular machinery of other organisms in order
to survive.

Viruses are highly

specialized in what kind
of cell they can infect
and don’t often jump
from species to species.
The diagram shows a
virus, called the
bacteriophage that
specializes in infecting
bacteria.

It lands on the surface

of the cell and injects its
own DNA into the host.
The viral DNA than
incorporates itself into
the host DNA without
the host knowing

In the lysogenic cycle

the host divides and
copies the viral DNA
along with its own,
creating new cells that
also carry the infection.

In the lytic cycle the viral

DNA takes over the
host’s cell and forces the cell to make viruses. Once the viruses are made the cell
bursts open spraying more viruses leading to more infection.
 Hershey Chase Experiment

The Question: The nucleus contains both nucleic acids and proteins. Viruses are also
known to be composed of nucleic acids and proteins. Which is the one that carries the
genetic information? What does the virus inject into its victims to spread the infection?
The material that is injected must be the material that carries genetic information.

Note DNA contains P but never S, meanwhile protein contains S but never P.
Therefore if grown in the presence of radioactive P only the DNA will be radioactive. On
the other hand, if grown in the presence of radioactive S only the protein will be
radioactive.

Radioactivity is only transferred into the bacteria if the DNA is radioactive with
radioactive P. Therefore, viruses inject DNA and not protein into their victims. DNA is
the genetic material, not protein.