Question

Which bacterium did Frederick Griffith use for his research? Also mention the name of the disease caused by that bacterium.

Hint:

Griffith's experiment with Streptococcus pneumoniae demonstrated transformation, proving that genetic material can be transferred between organisms.

Answer 1

Frederick Griffith's Experiment: In 1928, Frederick Griffith conducted his famous experiment on bacterial transformation. Bacterium Used: - He worked with Streptococcus pneumoniae, a bacterium that causes pneumonia in humans and animals. Details: - Griffith studied two strains of the bacterium: \[\begin{array}{rl} \bullet & \text{S-strain (Smooth): Virulent, disease-causing strain with a polysaccharide capsule.} \\ \bullet & \text{R-strain (Rough): Non-virulent, harmless strain without capsule.} \\ \end{array}\] - His experiment showed that some "transforming principle" from the heat-killed S-strain bacteria converted the R-strain into a virulent form. - This laid the foundation for the discovery of DNA as the genetic material. Disease Caused: Pneumonia.