Question

During infection of E. coli cells by bacteriophage $T_2$,

• A. proteins are the only phage components that actually enter the infected cell.
• B. both proteins and nucleic acids enter the cell.
• C. only proteins from the infecting phage can also be detected in progeny phage.
• D. only nucleic acids enter the cell.

Answer 1

Answer: (D)

The experiment conducted by Hershey and Chase proved that DNA is the genetic material and that during infection of E. coli cells by bacteriophage T2, only nucleic acids (DNA or RNA) enter the cell. Nucleic acids from the head pass through the hollow tail and enter the bacterial cell. The remainder of the phage remains on the outside of the bacterium as "ghost"