DNA molecule

Question 1

Who confirmed that DNA is the genetic material and not proteins in 1952?

Answer 1

Hershey & Chase confirmed that DNA is the genetic material in their famous experiment with bacteriophages.

Question 2

What did Erwin Chargaff’s findings in the 1940s reveal about the four DNA bases?

Answer 2

Adenine (A) = 30.3%
Thymine (T) = 30.3%
Guanine (G) = 19.5%
Cytosine (C) = 19.5%

Question 3

What are the key principles of base pairing in DNA?

Answer 3

Adenine (A) pairs with Thymine (T)
Guanine (G) pairs with Cytosine (C)
The bases form weak hydrogen bonds
Base pairing is highly conserved through evolution, found in all organisms.

Question 4

How did Rosalind Franklin contribute to the discovery of DNA’s structure?

Answer 4

Her X-ray photos helped Watson and Crick build the first DNA model.