Final answer:
Beadle and Tatum concluded that a single gene controls the synthesis of a single enzyme, known as the one-gene/one-enzyme hypothesis. This finding, pivotal to molecular genetics, later evolved to the one gene-one polypeptide hypothesis. the correct option is 3) The one-gene/one-enzyme hypothesis
Step-by-step explanation:
One-Gene/One-Enzyme Hypothesis:
This concept later evolved into the one gene-one polypeptide hypothesis, as it became clear that many genes encode for individual polypeptides, which together make up proteins. The work of Beadle and Tatum established a foundational understanding for the relationship between genetics and enzymatic activity, contributing significantly to the field of molecular genetics and earning them the 1958 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine.
The historical advancement from their hypothesis illuminated the central dogma of molecular biology, which describes the flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein. Despite some exceptions, such as genes coding for tRNAs or rRNAs, the one-gene/one-enzyme hypothesis still holds true in many cases, particularly in microorganisms.