Genetic material
Must be capable of replication with sufficient fidelity so that organisms can pass on
their characteristics to their offspring
Must be capable of undergoing some change otherwise evolution could not have
occurred
Must be capable of encoding vast amounts of information in order to program the
complexity of living organisms
Time line
1928: Frederick Griffith observed genetic transformation of Diplococcus
pneumoniae. - Exposure of nonvirulent, rough-coated bacteria to dead, virulent,
smooth-coated bacterial cells resulted in the transformation of the nonvirulent
bacteria to a smooth-coated virulent form Griffith proposed that the live cells had
acquired genetic material from the dead cells, to undergo the change - “transforming
principle”
1944: Avery, McLeod & McCarty applied biochemical techniques to identify the
transforming principle (which was generally believed to be protein) They made
extracts from virulent bacteria and used these to transform nonvirulent bacteria to
the pathogenic form They showed; The nucleic acid fraction contained
transforming activity, That DNAase treatment destroyed this activity and That
RNAase treatment did not concluded that DNA was the genetic material not
widely accepted as criticized on the basis that the DNA could have been
contaminated by traces of “genetically active” protein
Further support for the DNA hypothesis:
1. In eukaryotes, DNA was localised in the nucleus, not elsewhere.
2. Somatic cells contained twice as much DNA as sperm cells
3. DNA was highly stable, whereas protein and RNA were not.
Only correlative and circumstantial - Not proof!!
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller 7joshlyons7. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $3.86. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.