What was the purpose of the experiment performed by Meselson and Stahl?
What was the purpose of the experiment performed by Meselson and Stahl?
To prove that DNA replicates semiconservatively
To show that 15N is not a radioactive isotope
To determine the density of DNA
To observe the effect of 15NH₄Cl on the growth of E. coli
Solution
Meselson and Stahl's experiment aimed to prove that DNA replicates semiconservatively, which was a hypothesis suggested by Watson and Crick. They used 15N to distinguish the newly synthesized DNA from the parental DNA and showed that the new DNA contained 15N.