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Ch. 18 - Control of Gene Expression in Bacteria
Freeman - Biological Science 7th Edition
Freeman7th EditionBiological ScienceISBN: 9783584863285Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 18, Problem 6

Predict what would happen to regulation of the lac operon if the lacI gene were moved 50,000 nucleotides upstream of its normal location.

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1
Understand the role of the lacI gene: The lacI gene encodes the lac repressor, a protein that binds to the operator region of the lac operon and inhibits the transcription of downstream genes involved in lactose metabolism when lactose is not present.
Consider the effect of gene location on gene expression: Moving the lacI gene 50,000 nucleotides upstream could affect its own expression due to changes in local chromatin structure, accessibility to transcription factors, and the influence of nearby regulatory elements.
Analyze the impact on the lac operon regulation: If the expression of the lacI gene is altered (either increased or decreased), the levels of the lac repressor protein might change. This would directly affect the regulation of the lac operon.
Predict the regulatory outcomes: If the lacI gene is overexpressed, the lac operon could be repressed more strongly, even in the presence of lactose. Conversely, if the lacI gene is underexpressed, the lac operon might be less repressed, leading to unnecessary expression of the operon even without lactose.
Evaluate the biological implications: Changes in the regulation of the lac operon can affect the cell's efficiency in metabolizing lactose, potentially impacting the cell's survival and fitness in environments where lactose is the primary sugar source.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Lac Operon Structure

The lac operon is a set of genes in E. coli that are involved in the metabolism of lactose. It consists of three structural genes (lacZ, lacY, and lacA) and regulatory elements, including the promoter and operator. The operon is controlled by the lacI gene, which encodes the lac repressor protein that inhibits transcription in the absence of lactose.
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The Lac Operon

Gene Regulation

Gene regulation refers to the mechanisms that control the expression of genes, determining when and how much of a gene product is made. In the case of the lac operon, the lacI gene product (the repressor) binds to the operator region to prevent transcription when lactose is not present. This regulation is crucial for the efficient use of resources in the cell.
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Introduction to Regulation of Gene Expression

Transcriptional Control and Distance Effects

Transcriptional control can be influenced by the physical distance between regulatory elements and the genes they control. If the lacI gene is moved 50,000 nucleotides upstream, it may be too far to effectively regulate the lac operon, potentially leading to continuous expression of the operon regardless of lactose presence. This highlights the importance of spatial organization in gene regulation.
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Specific Transcription Factors
Related Practice
Textbook Question
A regulon is a set of genes controlled bya. one type of regulator of transcription.b. two or more different alternative sigma proteins.c. many different types of promoters.d. glucose.
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Textbook Question
Evaluate these statements about regulation of the lac operon. Select True or False for each statement.T/FThe lac operon is transcribed at the highest rate when extracellular glucose and lactose are abundant.T/FThe repressor protein is bound to DNA of the operator when lactose is present.T/FA mutation in the operator is likely to prevent transcription of the lac operon under any condition.T/FA mutation that alters the catabolite activator protein is predicted to alter the regulation of many different operons.
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Textbook Question

Predict what would happen to regulation of the lac operon if the lacI gene were moved 50,000 nucleotides upstream of its normal location.

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Textbook Question
Explain why it makes sense for the lexA regulatory gene of the SOS regulon to be expressed constitutively.
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Textbook Question
IPTG is a molecule with a structure much like lactose. IPTG can be transported into cells by galactoside permease and can bind to the lac repressor protein. However, unlike lactose, IPTG is not broken down by ββ-galactosidase. Predict what would occur to lac operon regulation if IPTG were added to E. coli growth medium containing no glucose or lactose.
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Textbook Question
In a mutant that lacks adenylyl cyclase, the enzyme that synthesizes cAMP, predict which of the following conditions of extracellular lactose and glucose would cause regulation of the lac operon to differ from that of wild-type cells.a. no lactose, no glucoseb. no lactose, abundant glucosec. abundant lactose, no glucosed. abundant lactose, abundant glucose
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