Question

In an important experiment, a radioactively labeled bacteriophage was allowed to infect bacteria. In a first trial, the phage contained radioactive DNA, and radioactivity was detected inside the bacteria. Next, phage containing radioactive protein was used, and the radioactivity was not detected inside the bacteria. These experiments led to the conclusion that:_____.

A) DNA is made of nucleotides.
B) genes carry information for making proteins.
C) the genes of this phage were made of DNA.
D) bacteriophages can infect bacteria.

Answer 1

Answer: C) the genes of this phage were made of DNA.

Explanation: the experiment described above wherein a radioactively labeled bacteriophage was allowed to infect bacteria ultimately led to the conclusion that the genes of the bacteriophage under study were made of DNA (a biopolymer of deoxyribonucleic acid, which is a type of nucleic acid composed of four different chemical groups, called bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine). Simply put, the experiment shows that the genetic material of the phage is DNA.