In Hershey Chase experiment why is protein not the genetic material?

Subject: In Hershey Chase experiment why is protein not the genetic material?

Date: Tue Apr 16 06:09:30 2013
Posted by Mona
Grade level: 10-12 School: No school entered.
City: No city entered. State/Province: No state entered. Country: No country entered.
Area of science: Genetics
ID: 1366117770.Ge

Message:


In Hershey Chase experiment to prove DNA is the genetic material it is said that
since radioactive P is found in bacterial cell, it is the genetic material
because it is passed on to that cell of bacteria.
But even the radioactive S containing protein is passed from bacteria to virus.
So in this expt. if passing of something from one cell to another be the
criteria to prove that it is the genetic material then even the protein should
be called as genetic material. Why is it not?

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