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Question

Which of the following statements about the Hershey- Chase experiment are incorrect?
I: Bacteria infected with bacteriophage radiolabeled with 35P were radioactive
II: Bacteria infected with bacteriophage radiolabeled with 35S were radioactive
III: Bacteria infected with bacteriophage radiolabeled with 32P were radioactive
IV: Bacteria infected with bacteriophage radiolabeled with 35P and 32S were radioactive
V: Bacteria infected with bacteriophage radiolabeled with 35P were not radioactive

A
Statements I, II, III are incorrect.
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B
Statements I, II, V are incorrect
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C
Statements I, II, IV are incorrect
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D
Statements II, III, IV are incorrect
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Solution

The correct option is C Statements I, II, IV are incorrect
Alfred Hershey and M. Chase (1952), gave unequivocal proof that DNA is the genetic material.
In their experiment, radioactive phosphorus (32P) and radioactive sulphur (35S) were used to culture bacteriophages. The DNA of bacteriophage was radiolabeled with 32P and protein with 35S.
These radiolabeled bacteriophages were then made to infect E. coli. It was seen that the bacterial cells contained radioactive viral DNA (32P), but not radioactive viral protein (35S). This means that the bacteriophages transferred their DNA to the E. coli bacteria.
It can be concluded that the presence of radioactive 32P in the bacteriophage enables the bacteria to become radioactive. As radioactive 32P incorporated in the DNA of bacteriophage is passed down to the bacteria in the culture medium.
Thus, in the given question only statements III and V are correct, the rest are incorrect.

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