Which one of the following discoveries involving DNA happened first?

AChargaff discovered that base pairing was consistent in samples of DNA.
BGriffith learned that a chemical changed harmless cells into harmful cells.
CAvery discovered that DNA was responsible for storing and passing information through generations.
DHershey and Chase used bacteriophages to confirm that DNA was the genetic material in genes.

Verified Answer :

The answer is A.  Erwin Chargaff had discovered years earlier that the percentages of adelnine [A] and thymine [T] bases are almost equal in any sample of DNA.  It became the Charfaff's Rule.  However, no one knew why they did.