TEACHER NOTES: DRY LAB - EVIDENCE OF DNA AS

HEREDITARY MATERIAL
Ministry Expectations:
BIG IDEA
DNA contains all the genetic information for any living organism.
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS
D3. Demonstrate an understanding of concepts related to molecular
genetics, and how genetic modification is applied in industry and agriculture
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
A1.1 formulate relevant scientific questions about observed relationships,
ideas, problems, or issues, make informed predictions, and/or formulate
educated hypotheses to focus inquiries or research
A1.8 synthesize, analyse, interpret, and evaluate qualitative and/or
quantitative data to deter- mine whether the evidence supports or refutes
the initial prediction or hypothesis and whether it is consistent with scientific
theory; identify sources of bias and/or error; and suggest improvements to
the inquiry to reduce the likelihood of error
A1.10 draw conclusions based on inquiry results and research findings, and
justify their conclusions with reference to scientific knowledge
A1.11 communicate ideas, plans, procedures, results, and conclusions orally,
in writing, and/or in electronic presentations, using appropriate language and
a variety of formats (e.g., data tables, laboratory reports, presentations, debates, simulations, models)
A2.2 describe the contributions of scientists, including Canadians (e.g.,
Evelyn Roden Nelson, Maude Menten, Albert Juan Aguayo, Kimberley J.
Fernie, Michael Archer), to the fields under study
D3.2 compare the structures and functions of RNA and DNA, and explain
their roles in the process of protein synthesis
D3.7 describe, on the basis of research, some of the historical scientific
contributions that have advanced our understanding of molecular genetics
(e.g., discoveries made by Frederick Griffith, Watson and Crick, Hershey and
Chase)

Suggestions for Implementation:

The key concept of the dry lab is for students to understand that DNA is the
hereditary material and is responsible for the variation (transforming
principle)that exists amongst us. Students are presented with an
experimental protocol carried out by Frederick Griffith and the observations

are presented in a series of steps. It is anticipated that after each

observation students will be able to gain a better understanding of the
experimental results and will be able to come to the conclusion that DNA is
the transforming principle.
Structure: The lab should be done in pairs. In order to consolidate the dry
lab the following on-line visual representation of the results gathered by
Griffith, Avery and associates should be shown to the class:
http://www.dnaftb.org/17/animation.html.
Time: 60-75 minutes
Assessment: The dry lab can be used as a form of assessment of learning
because students will demonstrate their inquiry and communication skills
through their answers which will be formulated on the representation of their
interpretation of the observations. The dry lab is broken down into thinking
and investigation, and application because it requires students to use critical
and creative thinking skills along with inquiry and problem-solving skills.
Lastly, students are required to make use of their knowledge and skills to
make connections between the results and the observations they are based
on.
Source:
Giuseppe, M. (2003). Nelson biology 12. Toronto: Nelson Thomson Learning.
Limitations:
Students may have a difficult time grasping the concept because it is quite
abstract (not actually performing the experiment) but trying to make sense
of the observations that are given. Timing wise students may feel a bit
rushed, and therefore, the teacher may wish to split the dry lab over a period
of two days. In addition, it is recommended that this dry lab is done after
DNA replication is covered because students will be able to grasp the
concept better.
Modifications for Special Student Needs:
1. The dry lab contains a lot of text and the concept is somewhat abstract
and students with IEPs may have a difficult time grasping it, and the
images may not be sufficient. Therefore, a possible suggestion would
be to show these students the animation prior to completing the dry
lab in order to provide them with more guided instruction.

2. Students with an IEP can be given extra time to complete the dry lab
(come in during lunch or after school)

Name:______________________________

TI 11
Dry Lab - Evidence of DNA as Hereditary Material
Introduction:
In the 1920s, Frederick Griffith, an English medical officer, conducted
experiments with the bacterium Streptococcus pneumonia, which is known
to cause pneumonia. This bacterium exists in two forms. One of the forms is
surrounded by a polysaccharide coating called a capsule and is known as the
S form because it forms smooth colonies on a culture dish. The second
form contains no coating and is known as the R form because it forms
rough colonies on a culture dish.
Task:
Examine the following qualitative observations that were made by Griffith
and answer the discussion, analysis and extend your thinking questions in
pairs. Refer back to the legend (Figure 1) as needed.

Figure 1. Legend of different strains (cells) used.

1) Mouse A was injected with encapsulated cells (S form), whereas mouse
B was injected with un-encapsulated cells (R form).
Observation #1:
Mouse A contracted pneumonia and died, whereas mouse B continued to
survive. Mouse B was sacrificed and an autopsy was done on both mice. The

A
6

following results were gathered from the autopsies: mouse A contained living
S cells, whereas mouse B contained living R cells.

Figure 2: Mouse A injected with encapsulated cells (S form).

Figure 3: Mouse B injected with un-encapsulated cells (R form).

Discussion Questions:
a) Based on these results, what conclusions can you draw? ( T/I - 2
marks)
b) Why would Griffith consider repeating this experimental procedure on
other mice?
(T/I - 2 marks)
2) Encapsulated (S-form) pneumococcal cells were heated, killed and then
injected into mouse C.
Observation #2:
Mouse C continued to live. Mouse C was sacrificed and the autopsy showed
that no living S cells were found in the animals tissues.

Figure 4: Mouse C injected with heated encapsulated cells (S form).

Discussion Questions:
c) What does this observation indicate? (T/I - 1 mark)
d) Predict what would happen to the mouse if the R form cells had been
heated and then injected. What would this step have represented in
the experimental protocol? (T/I - 2 marks)
3. The heated encapsulated (S-form) cells were mixed with un-encapsulated
(R-form) cells. The mixture was grown on a special growth medium. Cells
from the culture medium were injected into mouse D.
Observation #3:
Mouse D died. An autopsy indicated that the mouse had died of pneumonia;
encapsulated (S-form) bacteria and un-encapsulated (R-form) bacteria were
isolated from the mouse.

Figure 5: Mouse D injected with heated encapsulated (S-form) cells

mixed with un-encapsulated (R-form) cells.
Discussion Questions:
e) Would you have predicted this observation? Explain why or why not.
(T/I - 2 marks)
Analysis Questions:

Part I:
f) Scientists studied the dead and live cell mixture (from step 3) and
discovered cells with and without capsules. Therefore, what influence
did the heat-destroyed cells have on the un-encapsulated cells? (T/I 2 mark)
Part II:
Griffith proposed that a chemical in the dead, heat-treated,
encapsulated cells (refer to step 3) must have been altered by the living unencapsulated cells and he called this scientific phenomenon transformation.
In 1944, Oswald Avery, Maclyn McCarty and Colin MacLeod carried out
experiments in test tubes with Streptococcus pneumoniae that led them to
determine what the transforming principle was. This was evident when
Avery and his associates discovered that only R cells mixed with purified DNA
isolated from dead S cells were transformed to S cells. When R cells were
mixed with purified RNA, with the polysaccharide coat, or with protein
extracted from dead S cells, only R cell colonies were seen.
g) What do you think these experiments indicated about the transforming
principle? (A - 2 marks)
Extend Your Thinking
h) Predict the experimental results of the following protocols. (A- 4
marks)
Heated encapsulated bacteria are treated with DNAse, a DNAdigesting enzyme. The treated bacteria are then mixed with
encapsulated pneumonia cells, which are injected into a mouse.
All proteins are extracted from the heated encapsulated bacteria. The
treated bacteria are then mixed with un-encapsulated pneumonia
cells, which are injected into a mouse.

Dry Lab - Evidence of DNA as Hereditary Material (ANSWER KEY)

a) Based on these results we can conclude that the living R cells inside of the
mouse does not affect their health while living S cells can kill the mouse.
b) Experiments are always repeated to make sure that they are consistent.
This is important since there could be other reasons that the mice might
have died, such as being infected by a harmful virus. Repeating the
experiment several times and obtaining the same results confirms that the
reason that these mice are dying is in fact due to the presence of live S
bacteria cells inside of them.
c) This indicates that the heat killed the S-form cells, and confirmed that the
S-cells were responsible for killing the mice in step 1 of the experiment. In
addition, heat killed whatever was responsible for killing Mouse B in step 1.
Also, it indicates that the heat broke down the polysaccharide coating.
d) If the R-form cells were heated and then injected the mouse would still
have survived because the R cells are harmless regardless, and do not affect
the mice. In addition, no living R cells would be present in the animals
tissues. Furthermore, this serves as a control in the experimental protocol
because it proves that its not the R cells that are resulting in the mice
surviving but rather the fact that they will survive with or without the
presence of the R cells.
e) This is an opinionated question and answers will vary.
f) Since the S cells were all heat killed, one would not expect to see any
capsules formed. The fact that there were however, could indicate that the

live R cells started producing these capsules using the information from the
surrounding dead S cells.
g) These experiments indicate that DNA is the necessary component needed
to transform the R cells into S cells because the only way R cells were
transformed into S cells was when purified DNA was mixed with the R cells.
In all other cases (RNA, proteins and polysaccharide coat) only R cells were
extracted indicating that they were not transformed. Therefore, the
transforming principle has to be DNA.
h)
The mouse will survive because the DNA is digested by the DNAse,
therefore, the R cells from the un-encapsulated pneumonia cells will
not be transformed into S cells because DNA is the transforming
principle.
The mouse will not survive because the heated encapsulated cells still
contain DNA which means that the R cells from the un-encapsulated
cells will be transformed to S cells and the mouse will end up dying.