Question

IN this chapter, we considered two experiments-one by Avery, MacLeoa, and McCarthy and the second by Hershey and Chase- that indicated DNA is the genetic material. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the two approaches. Which experimental approach did you find the most convincing? Why?

Answer 1

The Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty experiment demonstrated that DNA carries the information necessary for transformation, but the Hershey and Chase experiment provided more direct evidence that DNA is the genetic material.

Step-by-step explanation:

Both the experiments conducted by Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty and Hershey and Chase provided evidence that DNA is the genetic material. The strength of the Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty experiment is that it demonstrated that DNA carries the information necessary for transformation. However, it did not definitively prove that DNA is the genetic material. On the other hand, the Hershey and Chase experiment used a bacteriophage to show that DNA is inserted into bacterial cells and is responsible for viral replication. This experiment provided more direct evidence that DNA is the genetic material.

Personally, I find the Hershey and Chase experiment to be the most convincing because it directly demonstrates the role of DNA in viral replication. By using radioactive labeling, they were able to track the movement of DNA into bacterial cells during infection. This experiment provides clearer evidence that DNA is the genetic material.