The discovery that DNA has genetic properties was first revealed by Oswald Avery and his team of scientists in 1944. Avery was a molecular biologist who worked at the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research in New York City.

Experiment
Avery and his team conducted a series of experiments to determine whether DNA was the genetic material responsible for the transformation of bacteria. They used two strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, one that was virulent (able to cause disease) and one that was non-virulent. The virulent strain had a capsule made of a complex sugar that protected it from the immune system, while the non-virulent strain lacked this capsule and was easily destroyed by the immune system.

Results
Avery and his team extracted various biochemical components from the virulent strain of bacteria, including proteins, lipids, RNA, and DNA. They then mixed each of these components with the non-virulent strain to see if they could induce transformation. Only the DNA extract was able to transform the non-virulent strain into a virulent one, proving that DNA was the genetic material responsible for the transformation.

Conclusion
Avery's discovery was groundbreaking because it showed that DNA, which was previously thought to be a simple molecule with no biological significance, was in fact the carrier of genetic information. This discovery paved the way for the development of the field of molecular biology and our current understanding of genetics.