Identifying the Molecule of InheritancePredicting the Results of the Griffith Experiment and (Re)-Designing the Avery, MacLeod and McCarty Experiment

Objectives

1. Hypothesize outcomes for a given experiment given the data collected.

2. Design an experiment to conclude whether protein, DNA or RNA is the genetic material.

3. Explain why DNA makes a better genetic material than protein.

Griffith Experiment: Results

Griffith Experiment: What’s Going On?

1. What are TWO hypotheses that might explain the unexpected results of the experiment?

Bacterial Phenotypes

S (smooth) strain R (rough) strain

Transformation

Discovery of “Nuclein”

Transforming Principle

Enzyme Toolbox

Protease: Any enzyme that digests proteins by the hydrolysis of peptide bonds that link amino acids together in a polypeptide chain.

DNase: Any enzyme that digests DNA by the hydrolysis of phosphodiester bonds in the DNA backbone.

RNase: Any enzyme that degrades RNA into smaller components.

Objectives

1. Hypothesize outcomes for a given experiment given the data collected.

2. Design an experiment to conclude whether protein, DNA or RNA is the genetic material.

3. Explain why DNA makes a better genetic material than protein.

Avery, MacLeod and McCarty Conclusions

Avery, MacLeod and McCarty Conclusions