If E. coli was allowed to grow for 80 minutes then what would be the proportions of light and hybrid densities in a DNA molecule?
If E. coli was allowed to grow for 80 minutes then what would be the proportions of light and hybrid densities in a DNA molecule?
Part 1: Replication of E.coli
Replication of E.coli is very rapid and it can double itself in no less than 20 minutes.
Part 2: Percentage of hybrids in each generation
E.coli divides every 20 minutes. So, in 80 minutes it will divide four times, producing 4 generations. In the first generation, all the strands will be hybrid-density DNA molecules. (one strand will be N14 and another will be N15) In the second generation, 50% of the molecules will be hybrid density and 50% will be light-density molecules. In the third generation, 25% of the strands will be hybrid-density molecules, and the remaining 75% will be light-density molecules. In the fourth generation, 12.5% of the molecules are hybrid density and 87.5% would be light-density DNA molecules.
Part 3: Schematic representation of hybrids in each generation
Part 4: Conclusion.
After 80 minutes, at the end of the fourth generation, 12.5% hybrid DNA and 87.5% light-density DNA molecules will be produced. The proportion of light density to hybrid DNA = 7: 1
Part 1: Replication of E.coli
Replication of E.coli is very rapid and it can double itself in no less than 20 minutes.
Part 2: Percentage of hybrids in each generation
E.coli divides every 20 minutes. So, in 80 minutes it will divide four times, producing 4 generations. In the first generation, all the strands will be hybrid-density DNA molecules. (one strand will be N14 and another will be N15) In the second generation, 50% of the molecules will be hybrid density and 50% will be light-density molecules. In the third generation, 25% of the strands will be hybrid-density molecules, and the remaining 75% will be light-density molecules. In the fourth generation, 12.5% of the molecules are hybrid density and 87.5% would be light-density DNA molecules.
Part 3: Schematic representation of hybrids in each generation
Part 4: Conclusion.
After 80 minutes, at the end of the fourth generation, 12.5% hybrid DNA and 87.5% light-density DNA molecules will be produced. The proportion of light density to hybrid DNA = 7: 1
