Question

Gene regulation governing lactose operon of E.coli that involves the lac I gene product is

• A. negative and repressible because repressor protein prevents transcription
• B. Feedback inhibition because excess of β-galactosidase can switch off transcription
• C. Positive and inducible because it can be induced by lactose
• D. negative and inducible because repressor protein prevents transcription.

Answer 1

Answer: (D)

The control of expression of lac operon is negative (as it is turned off normally) and inducible. Inducible operon is an operon which remains switched off normally but becomes operational in the presence of an inducer (lactose, actually allolactose a metabolite of lactose, in case of lac operon). The inducible operon generally functions in catabolic pathways. In the presence of an inducer, the repressor has a higher affinity for the inducer than for the operator gene. When lactose is added, a few lactose molecules are carried into the cell by the enzyme lactose permease as small amount of this enzyme is present in the cell even when the operon is not working. These few lactose molecules are converted into allolactose molecules which act as an inducer and bind to the repressor (a product of regulator gene). The repressor- inducer complex fails to join with the operator gene, thus it is turned on.