Which statement accurately describes the Hershey-Chase experiment related to the genetic material?

• A. Protein from the phage enters the host cell
• B. Lipids carry the genetic information
• C. DNA from the phage enters the host cell
• D. RNA from the phage enters the host cell

Answer: (C)

Genetic material is the molecule that actually enters the host cell and directs the production of new viruses. In the Hershey-Chase experiment, phages were labeled in two ways: DNA with a phosphorus tag and protein with a sulfur tag. After infection, only the phosphorus-labeled material entered the bacterial cells, while the sulfur-labeled protein remained outside with the phage coat. This means the information needed to make new phages travels with DNA, not with protein. Therefore, the statement that DNA from the phage enters the host cell best describes what the experiment showed. Lipids and RNA were not demonstrated to carry the genetic information in this setup, and the protein did not enter the cells.