DNA

The Genetic Material

IDENTIFICATION OF DNA AS THE
GENETIC MATERIAL

 The genetic material must meet 4 criteria

 1. Information:
 2. Transmission:
 3. Replication:
 4. Variation:

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1928 - Frederick Griffith’s Transformation
Experiments
 Two strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae
 S  Smooth

 Secrete a polysaccharide capsule

 Produce smooth colonies on solid media
 virulent
 R  Rough
 Unable to secrete a capsule
 Produce colonies with a rough appearance
 avirulent
 Two coat types
 II
 III
 Four possible phenotypes
 IIS or IIIS or IIR or IIIR
Griffith’s Experiments

Figure 9.1

 Rare mutations convert strains

 S into R strain & vice versa
 But mutations do not change coat types
 II into III or vice versa

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Figure 9.2
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Griffith’s Conclusions

 Something from the dead type IIIS transformed

type IIR into type IIIS

 Called this process transformation

 The unknown substance was termed the

transforming principle

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1944 - Avery, MacLeod & McCarty Identify
the Genetic Material
 Griffith’s transforming principle was the
genetic material
 Transformation assay to identify actual
biomolecule
 Major constituents - DNA, RNA, proteins,
carbohydrates, & lipids
 Made cell extracts from type IIIS cells
containing each of these macromolecules

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Avery’s Experiments
 Mixed each extract with type IIR cells to test for transformation
 Only extract containing purified DNA transformed type IIR to type IIIS
 Verify that DNA, not RNA or protein, is the genetic material

Figure 9.3 9-11

1952- Hershey & Chase Confirm DNA is
Genetic Material Using Phage T2
Life cycle of
phage T2
Figure 9.5
Phage Attached to E. coli Cell
The Hershey and Chase experiment:
 Used radioisotopes to distinguish DNA from
proteins
 32P labels DNA specifically

 35S labels protein specifically

 Infect non-radioactive E. coli with radioactively-

labeled phages
 Remove phage coats from cells
 Is 32P or 35S inside bacteria?

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Hershey & Chase Experiment

S
Hershey & Chase Experiment
The Data

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RNA is Genetic Material in Some Viruses

 In 1956, A. Gierer and G. Schramm isolated RNA

from the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)
 Purified TMV RNA caused the same lesions as
intact TMV viruses
 Therefore, the viral genome is composed of RNA

 Since that time, many RNA viruses have been

found

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Copyright ©The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display
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