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Question

Biology Question on DNA Replication

DNA replicates semiconservatively was first shown in:

A

Higher animals

B

Esherichiacoil

C

Human cell

D

Plants

Answer

Esherichiacoil

Explanation

Solution

The concept of semiconservative DNA replication was first demonstrated by the scientists Matthew Meselson and Franklin Stahl in 1958 using Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. They conducted an elegant experiment known as the Meselson-Stahl experiment to investigate how DNA is replicated.
In their experiment, Meselson and Stahl labeled the DNA of E. coli bacteria with a heavy isotope of nitrogen (15N) by growing the bacteria in a medium containing this isotope. They then transferred the labeled bacteria to a medium containing a lighter isotope of nitrogen (14N) and allowed them to replicate their DNA.