Editing Hershey–Chase experiment (section)

===Experiment and conclusions===
Hershey and Chase were also able to prove that the DNA from the phage is inserted into the bacteria shortly after the virus attaches to its host. Using a high-speed blender they were able to force the bacteriophages from the bacterial cells after [[viral entry|adsorption]]. The lack of <sup>32</sup>P-labeled DNA remaining in the solution after the bacteriophages had been allowed to adsorb to the bacteria showed that the phage DNA was transferred into the bacterial cell.  The presence of almost all the radioactive <sup>35</sup>S in the solution showed that the protein coat that protects the DNA before adsorption stayed outside the cell.<ref name=Hershey />

Hershey and Chase concluded that DNA, not protein, was the genetic material.  They determined that a protective protein coat was formed around the bacteriophage, but that the internal DNA is what conferred its ability to produce progeny inside a bacterium.  They showed that, in growth, protein has no function, while DNA has some function.  They determined this from the amount of radioactive material remaining outside of the cell.  Only 20% of the <sup>32</sup>P remained outside the cell, demonstrating that it was incorporated with DNA in the cell's genetic material.  All of the <sup>35</sup>S in the protein coats remained outside the cell, showing it was not incorporated into the cell, and that protein is not the genetic material.<ref name=Hershey />

Hershey and Chase's experiment concluded that little sulfur-containing material entered the bacterial cell.  However no specific conclusions can be made regarding whether material that is sulfur-free enters the bacterial cell after phage adsorption. Further research was necessary to conclude that it was solely bacteriophages' DNA that entered the cell and not a combination of protein and DNA where the protein did not contain any sulfur.<ref name=Hershey />