Beadle and Tatum showed that each kind of mutant bread mould they stud...
Beadle and Tatum proposed one gene one enzyme hypothesis and gene is present on DNA..
Beadle and Tatum showed that each kind of mutant bread mould they stud...
Explanation:
Beadle and Tatum conducted experiments with bread mould (Neurospora crassa) mutants to investigate the relationship between genes and enzymes. They exposed the bread mould to radiation, which caused random mutations in the genetic material of the mould. They then observed the growth of different mutant strains and identified specific enzymes that were missing in each mutant.
Genes carry information for making proteins:
One of the key findings of Beadle and Tatum's experiments was that each mutant strain lacked a specific enzyme. This led them to propose the "one gene-one enzyme" hypothesis, which later evolved into the "one gene-one polypeptide" hypothesis. This hypothesis states that each gene carries the information necessary to produce a specific protein or polypeptide.
Enzymes are required to repair damage:
Although the experiments of Beadle and Tatum did not specifically address the role of enzymes in repairing damage, it is known that enzymes play a crucial role in repairing DNA damage. Enzymes called DNA repair enzymes are responsible for identifying and correcting mistakes or damage in the DNA sequence.
Cells need specific enzymes in order to function:
The experiments of Beadle and Tatum showed that the absence of a specific enzyme in each mutant strain affected the growth and function of the bread mould. This demonstrates that cells require specific enzymes to carry out essential biochemical reactions and maintain normal cellular functions.
Genes are made up of DNA:
While Beadle and Tatum's experiments did not directly demonstrate that genes are made up of DNA, it is now well-established that genes are composed of DNA molecules. DNA carries the genetic information necessary for the synthesis of proteins, and the sequence of nucleotides in DNA determines the sequence of amino acids in a protein.
In conclusion, Beadle and Tatum's experiments provided evidence for the relationship between genes and enzymes, showing that each mutant strain lacked a specific enzyme. This supported the idea that genes carry the information necessary for making proteins and that cells require specific enzymes to function properly.