Statement 1: Avery, McLeod, and McCarty discovered the semi-conservative nature of DNA.
Statement 2: Meselson and Stahl used E. coli to demonstrate the semi-conservative nature of DNA.
Analysis:
- Statement 1 is incorrect. Avery, McLeod, and McCarty demonstrated that DNA, not protein, is the genetic material. They did not discover the semi-conservative nature of DNA replication.
- Statement 2 is correct. Meselson and Stahl conducted experiments using E. coli and isotopes of nitrogen to prove that DNA replication is semi-conservative.
Therefore, the correct answer is:
Option 2: Statement 2 is correct, Statement 1 is incorrect