Question

What did Hershey and Chase use to differentiate between DNA and protein experiment? What would have happened if they, would have nitrogen?

Answer 1

Hershey and Chase worked with bacteriophage and E.coli to prove that DNA is the genetic material. They used different radioactive isotopes to label DNA and protein coat of the bacteriophage.

Since phosphorus is contained in DNA but not amino acids, radioactive phosphorus-32 was used to label the DNA. Radioactive sulfur-35 was used to label the protein sections because sulfur is contained in protein but not DNA.

Since nitrogen is present in both DNA and protein it cannot be used to differentiate between DNA and protein.