12.

1 Identifying the Substance of Genes

Bacterial Viruses A bacteriophage is a kind that infects bacteria. Wien a
Bacterial Transformation
bacteriophage enters a bacterium, it attaches to surface of the bacterial cell and injects
Lesson Objectives
Summarize the process of bacterial transformation. its genetic material into it
l. WhathappenedwhenGriffithinjectedmicewith thepneumonia-causingminof
Describe the role of bacteriophages in identifying genetic material.
In 1952: Alfred Hershey and Maråa Chase used radioactive tracers to label proteins and bacteria that had been heat-killed?
Identify the role ofDNAin heredity-
DNA in The mice stayed healthy.
Lesson Summary
Bacterial Transformation In 1928, Frederick Griffith found thatsomechemical Only DNA from the bacteriophage showed up in the infected bacterial cell.
2. WhathappenedwhenGriffithinjectedmicevåthamixtureofheat-killed,pneumonia-
factor from heat-killed bacteria of one strain could change the inherited characteristics of
another strain. Hershey and Chase concluded that the genedc material of the bacteriophage was DNk causing bacteria and live bacteria ofthe hamless type?

He called the process transformation because one type of bacteria (a harmless form) had
Their work confirmed Avery's results, convincingmany scientists that DNA was the The mice got pneumonia and many died.
been changed permanently into another (a disease-carrying form).
Because the ability to cause disease was inherited by the offspring of the transformed genetic material found in genes—notjustin viruses and bacteria: butin all cells.

bacteria. he concluded diat die transforming factor had to be a gene.

In 1944, Oswald Avery tested the transforming ability of many substances. Only DNA caused The Role Of DNA The DNA that makes up genes must be capable Ofstoring copying
transformation. By observing bacterial transformation, Avery and other scientists discovered
and tansmiåg the genetic infonnadon in a cell.
that the nucleic acid DNA stores and transmits genetic information from one generation of
bacteria to the next

Bacterial Viruses
6. Fill in the blanks to summarize the experiments of Hershey and Chase. (Note: The circles
3. What was the purpose of0swaldAvery's experiments?
represent radioactive labels.)
7. 1%atdidHershey and Chase
Avery wanted to find out which molecule in the heat killed bacteria was the most
They concluded that the genetic material must be DNA because the phage injected only DNA
important for transformation. •iV

Su + not protein, into the bacterium.

4. What experimentsdidAverydo?

He used enzymes that destroyed various molecules from the heat-killed bacteria,
DNA Bacteriophage infects bacterium Radioactiviw inside bacterium
8. How did Hershey and Chase confimAvery'sresults?
radioactive label

Avery said that DNA transmits genetic information from one generaüon to the next.
includin lipid , rotein
céGös ana
RN Transformation still occurred,

but when he used enzymes that broke do DN transformation did not occur. Hershey and Chase concluded that the genetic material Of ete bacteriophage was DNA

and not protein, confirming whatAvery said.

5. What didAvery conclude?

He concluded that DNA transmits genetic information.

Protein with Phage infects bacterium No radioactiviW inside bacterium

radioa cti v e label

The Role of DNA VISUAL ANALOGY

9. that
Apply the Big idea
10. DNA is like a book tided How to
Be a Cell. Explain why that tide is By 1952, many scientists were convinced that genes are made ofDNA, but they did not
appropriate for each of DNA ' s three
functions.
yet know how DNA worked. was it important to determine die stucture ofDNA to
STORING MORMATION: understand how DNA stored, copied, and ransmitted information?
Storing Transmitting
"Fbwto be a Cell" contains all tie info The structure of Ule molecule had to provide a way for the instructions on 'how to be a cell' to be
information information
needed to direct the ceN's activibes, coded and stored. DNA had to have something in its molecular structure allowed it to copy
from growth to energy use.
itself With each cell division and pass from one cell to another during mitosis and meiosis.

Why Why is Why is

b. COPYING INFORMATION:

The DNA that makes up genes Genetic informatbn must be Genetic information must Multiple copies of 'Howto be a Cell' can
controls development and
12. was the fact oftransfonnation so important to die study of DNA's role? What did
copied accurately with every pass from one generation
characteristics of different cell division. the next be 'printed' every üme a cell divides, so
tansformation demonstate?
kinds Of organisms.
each daughter cell 'knows' What to do.
Transformation showed that a cell becomes is determined by DNA DNA in a cell was
If

changed, then the cell itself changed. It demonstrated that DNA controlled the fate of the cell.
TRANSMITTING INFORMATION:

Copies of 'How to be a Cell' can be

passed from parents to offspring,

The instructions that cause a Aner mitosis, each daughter The gametes of the oak tree
single cell to develop into an oak-tree cell has the same carry information from paren so offspring have the insb-ucions
oak tree must be written into genes and chromosomes as to offspring, so the offspring
the DNA organism. the parent cell. develops as an oak tree. needed ålnction.