What was used by Hershey and chase in their experiment?

Hershey and Chase conducted a series of experiments in the 1950s to determine whether DNA or protein was the genetic material. They used the following components in their experiments:

Bacteriophage (phage): They used a specific type of virus that infects bacteria, known as a bacteriophage or phage. The phage has a protein coat and DNA inside.

Bacteria: Hershey and Chase used the bacterium *Escherichia coli* (E. coli) as the host for the phage.

Radioactive isotopes: They labeled either the phage DNA with radioactive phosphorus (32P) or the phage protein coat with radioactive sulfur (35S). This allowed them to track which molecule entered the bacteria during infection.

Centrifugation: Hershey and Chase used a centrifuge to separate the viral particles from the bacterial cells. They spun the mixture of phage-infected bacteria at high speed, causing the heavier bacterial cells to settle at the bottom of the tube while the lighter viral particles remained suspended in the supernatant.

By selectively labeling either the DNA or protein of the phage with radioactive isotopes and then separating the infected bacteria from the viral particles, Hershey and Chase were able to determine that DNA, and not protein, was the genetic material responsible for transferring hereditary information during phage infection.