Avery

Definition

Avery refers to Oswald Avery, a scientist whose experiments in the 1940s demonstrated that DNA is the substance that causes bacterial transformation. His work was pivotal in identifying DNA as the molecule responsible for heredity.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Oswald Avery's experiments showed that DNA, not protein, is the genetic material of cells.
2. Avery worked with pneumococcus bacteria, specifically looking at how they could transform from one form to another.
3. His work built on Frederick Griffith's earlier studies on bacterial transformation.
4. Avery's research provided critical evidence supporting the role of DNA in heredity before Watson and Crick discovered its structure.
5. The Avery-MacLeod-McCarty experiment involved treating bacterial extracts with enzymes that destroyed proteins, RNA, and DNA to determine which molecule was responsible for transformation.

Review Questions

• What was the primary conclusion from Oswald Avery's experiments?
• Which type of bacteria did Avery use in his transformative experiments?
• How did Avery's findings contribute to our understanding of genetic material?

Related terms

DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecule that carries genetic instructions in living organisms.

Bacterial Transformation: The process by which bacteria take up foreign genetic material from their surroundings.

Frederick Griffith: A scientist known for discovering the phenomenon of bacterial transformation through his experiments with Streptococcus pneumoniae.