Q. During Messelson and Stahl's experiments, heavy was distinguished from normal by centrifugation in:

 3289  205 KEAMKEAM 2010Molecular Basis of Inheritance Report Error

Solution:

During Meselson and Stahl’s experiments, heavy DNA was distinguished from normal DNA by centrifugation in CsCl gradient. Caesium chloride is highly water soluble heavy salt. When spun in centrifuge at high speed (say 50,000 revolutions per minute) the salt forms a density gradient with heaviest most concentrated region at the bottom and successively less concentrated lighter one towards the surface. When DNA is mixed with caesium chloride it will settle down at a particular height in centrifugation, heavier one higher up.