Question

Recall the experiment done by Frederick Griffith. If RNA,instead of DNA was the genetic material, would theheat killed strain of strepts have transformed the Rstrain into virulent strain? Explain your answer

Answer 1

RNA is more labile and prone to degradation(owing to the presence of 2’ OH groupin its ribose). Hence heat-killed S-strain maynot have retained its ability to transform the Rstrain into virulent form if RNA was its geneticmaterial.