Written by Samantha Wong (PEACE Advisor)
Hershey and Chase labeled bacteriophages with radioactive sulfur and radioactive phosphorus to investigate how viruses use host bacteria to propagate. The bacteriophages are composed of a protein coat and genetic material inside the protein coat.
1a) Let’s say that the radioactive sulfur emitted red fluorescence and the radioactive phosphorus emitted blue fluorescence. What colors would the protein coat and genetic material emit?
1b) What color would Hershey and Chase have found in their bacteria after the viruses infected the bacteria?
1c) What is one important role sulfur plays in proteins (hint: think protein folding)?
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1a) Protein coat – red; genetic material – blue
1b) Blue
1c) Formation of disulfide brides in tertiary structure