Avery, McCarty, and MacLeod's Experiment Quiz

Protein Complex Formation

• Protein complexes within cells are formed through various interactions, including hydrogen bonding, ionic interactions, and hydrophobic interactions.
• These interactions are responsible for the specific binding of proteins to each other.

DNA-Histone Interactions

• The wrapping of DNA around histone proteins forms a supramolecular structure within cells called chromatin.
• Histone proteins are positively charged, which allows them to bind to negatively charged DNA.

Lipid and Protein Self-Assembly

• Lipid and protein self-assembly form bilayer membranes within cells, providing specific functions such as cell membranes and organelle membranes.
• These membranes are semi-permeable, allowing certain molecules to pass through while keeping others out.

Hydrophobic Interactions

• Hydrophobic interactions among nonpolar groups in aqueous solution are responsible for the exclusion of nonpolar molecules from water.
• This type of interaction is important for the structure and function of biological molecules.

Energy Requirements

• Living organisms require a constant investment of energy to maintain their organization and function.
• This energy is necessary to counteract the universal tendency towards entropy and disorder.

Cellular Energy Crisis

• When a cell can no longer generate energy, it can no longer maintain its organization and function, leading to cell death.

Dynamic Steady State

• The 'dynamic steady state' in living organisms involves the constant input of energy to maintain a stable, functional state.
• This state is characterized by a balance between the buildup and breakdown of cellular components.

The Transforming Principle

• The transforming principle, which is responsible for the transfer of genetic information, was suggested to be DNA.
• This was evidenced by the fact that DNA was the only consistent component of the transforming material.

The Hershey-Chase Experiment

• The Hershey-Chase Experiment provided crucial evidence that DNA is the genetic material.
• The experiment showed that DNA, not protein, was responsible for the transmission of genetic information.

Bacteriophages

• Bacteriophages are composed of a protein coat surrounding a core of DNA.