State the importance of () blending and (2) contrifugation in their experiment.
Ans.
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Blending: Blending was important in Hershey and Chase’s experiment as it allowed for the physical separation of bacteriophage protein coats from bacterial cells after viral infection. This step ensured that only the viral DNA or RNA (depending on the type of phage used) entered the bacterial cells, facilitating the subsequent analysis of the genetic material’s role in viral replication and infection.
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Centrifugation: Centrifugation was crucial in Hershey and Chase’s experiment as it enabled the separation of bacteriophage protein coats from bacterial cells and their contents. By subjecting the bacteriophage-infected bacterial suspension to centrifugation, the heavier bacterial cells and their contents (including any viral DNA or RNA) were pelleted to the bottom of the tube, while the lighter protein coats remained in the supernatant. This allowed Hershey and Chase to isolate and analyze the viral genetic material to determine its role in viral replication and infection.
