In Griffith's experiments, the genetic material was not destroyed in bacteria killed by heat. This suggested that
A) some combination of protein and DNA was the genetic material.
B) protein and DNA contained different amounts of genetic information.
C) DNA, not protein, might be the genetic material.
D) heat did not destroy the genetic information in proteins.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Griffith's experiments showed that genetic transformation still occurred even when heat-killed bacteria were used, meaning that something in the bacteria was able to transfer genetic information to live bacteria. Since proteins were known to be easily denatured by heat, this suggested that DNA, not protein, might be the genetic material.

In Griffith's Experiments, the Genetic Material Was Not Destroyed in Bacteria