Chase, Martha

For many years, biologists searched for the identity of the genetic material of life. Some scientists thought that the genetic material was protein. Others believed it was nucleic acids. By 1944, strong evidence pointed to DNA. In 1952, Alfred Day Hershey and Martha Chase published the results of their experiments, which confirmed that DNA, not protein, determines heredity. 

In 1952, Alfred Hershey and Martha Chase showed T2 bacteriophage inject only DNA into cells and this is sufficient to make more T2 bacteriophage (Figure 4.8b). 

Radioisotopes have been critical for identifying specific molecules involved in biochemical processes. John Hershey and Martha Chase carried out an experiment in 19.52 with bacteriophage T2 that had been radiolabeled by being grown in either or... 

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