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An inducible operon, such as the lac operon in E. coli, is a segment of DNA that can be turned on in response to a specific molecule, typically a substrate. In the lac operon, the presence of lactose serves as the inducer, which binds to the repressor protein, causing it to release from the operator region. This allows RNA polymerase to transcribe the structural genes (lacZ, lacY, and lacA) that encode enzymes for lactose metabolism. As a result, the operon is activated only when lactose is available, enabling the cell to efficiently utilize the sugar.

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2 types of operons?

The two types of operons are Inducible and Repressible Operons.


Why is the lac operon said to be an inducible operon?

The lac operon is considered an inducible operon because it is activated in the presence of lactose as an inducer molecule. When lactose is present, it binds to the repressor protein, causing it to be released from the operator region and allowing RNA polymerase to transcribe the genes involved in lactose metabolism.


What molecule causes transcription of an operon?

The molecule that typically causes transcription of an operon is an inducer, which can either activate or repress the operon by binding to a regulatory protein. In the case of an inducible operon like the lac operon in E. coli, lactose acts as an inducer by binding to the repressor protein and preventing it from blocking transcription.


Transcription of the structural genes in an inducible operon?

In an inducible operon, the structural genes are transcribed only when an inducer molecule is present. The inducer molecule binds to the repressor protein, causing it to be released from the operator region. This allows the RNA polymerase to bind to the promoter region and initiate transcription of the structural genes.


What would occur if the repressor of an inducible operon were mutated so it could not bind the operator?

If the repressor could not bind the operator, it would be unable to inhibit the transcription of the operon. This would lead to continuous expression of the operon, regardless of the presence or absence of the inducer. This could result in a constant production of the operon's gene products.


How is lac operon different from trp operon?

1. in lac operon; gene activity is induced when lactose is present in the medium, whereas in case of trp operon, repression of the gene activity takes place in presence of tryptophan in the medium. 2. lac operon spans about 4-6kb...whereas trp operon spans abut 7kb. 3. lac operon helps in the breakdown of lactose into glucose and galactose, to generate energy( catabolic pathway ) in case of trp operon, it helps in the synthesis of enzymes required for the formation of the amino acid Tryptophan( anabolic pathway ). 4. lac operon is an example of positive regulation ; and trp operon is an example of negative regulation. Trp operon is also regulated by other mechanism called attenuation while no such even occurs in lac operon . .


Difference between inducible and repressible operons?

Inducible operons are normally turned off but can be turned on by an inducer molecule, such as lactose in the lac operon. Repressible operons are typically turned on but can be turned off by a corepressor molecule, like tryptophan in the trp operon. The key difference is in their default state and the signal that controls their activity.


What do operons enable bacteria to do?

operon are the cluster of genes which are present to each other and having functions in realted manner as one gene is promoter which promote the function of other genes and one is operator which operates the function of structural genes whcih either synthesize certain enzyme or protein. operon can be inducible or non-inducible and negatie or positive control


What is the relationship between a gene and an operon?

A gene is a specific sequence of DNA that contains instructions for making a protein. An operon is a group of genes that are controlled and regulated together. In some cases, an operon can contain multiple genes, including the gene that codes for a specific protein. This means that a gene can be part of an operon, but not all genes are part of operons. The relationship between a gene and an operon is that a gene can be part of an operon, but an operon can contain multiple genes that work together to carry out a specific function.


What is a repressible operon?

A repressible operon is a type of operon in bacteria where gene expression is usually active but can be turned off when a specific corepressor molecule binds to the repressor protein. This binding causes the repressor to bind to the operator region of the operon, blocking transcription and thus shutting down gene expression. An example of a repressible operon is the trp operon in E. coli, which is involved in tryptophan biosynthesis.


Is the lac operon found in prokaryotes or eukaryotes?

The lac operon is found in prokaryotes, specifically in bacteria such as Escherichia coli. It is a regulatory system that controls the expression of genes involved in lactose metabolism. Eukaryotic cells do not typically have operons like the lac operon.


What turns the lac operon on and off?

The lac operon is turned on when lactose is present in the environment and glucose is scarce. This leads to the activation of the lac repressor protein, allowing the expression of genes involved in lactose metabolism. The lac operon is turned off when lactose is absent or glucose is abundant, which prevents the unnecessary expression of these genes.