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Lac Operon Notes

Prokaryotes and eukaryotes differ in chromosome organization and gene regulation methods, with prokaryotes using operons and eukaryotes using transcription factors. An operon consists of a promoter, operator, and controlled genes, with a regulatory gene coding for a repressor protein that can block transcription. Repressible operons are typically 'on' until a co-repressor like tryptophan activates the repressor, while inducible operons are 'off' until an inducer like lactose inactivates the repressor, allowing gene expression.

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15 views4 pages

Lac Operon Notes

Prokaryotes and eukaryotes differ in chromosome organization and gene regulation methods, with prokaryotes using operons and eukaryotes using transcription factors. An operon consists of a promoter, operator, and controlled genes, with a regulatory gene coding for a repressor protein that can block transcription. Repressible operons are typically 'on' until a co-repressor like tryptophan activates the repressor, while inducible operons are 'off' until an inducer like lactose inactivates the repressor, allowing gene expression.

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jordynmar3
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Prokaryotic Gene Regulation

Prokangotes and eukaryotes both contain chromosomes, however their


chromosomes are organized differently. Prokaryotes have a single, large circular
chromosome while eukaryotes have multiple linear chromosomes wrapped
around histone proteins.

Eukaryotes have use transcription


factors to regulate gene expression Prokaryotes use operons to regulate
their gene expression.

An operon:

An operon consists of a promoter, an operator, and the genes they control. The genes
generally code for proteins that will work together.

Upstream, and not part of the operon, is a regulatory gene. The


regulatory gene codes for a repressor protein. The repressor
protein is involved in regulating the operon.

RNA polymerase attaches to the promoter to begin


transcription of the genes within the operon
When the operon is "on", RNA polymerase transcribes a single strand of mRNA that
codes for multiple different proteins. For example, those proteins may work
coordinately together in a metabolic pathway.

After transcription, Ribosomes carry


out translation to produce multiple
proteins.

Regulating the Operon

The repressor protein regulates the expression


of the operon by attaching to the operator. When
the repressor binds to the operator, transcription is
blocked and the genes are not expressed.
Repressible Operons

The repressor protein that regulates a


repressible operon is translated as inactive. This
results in the continuous expression of the
operon until it is repressed. In simpler terms, the
operon is "on" until it is turned "off" when the
repressor protein attaches to the operator.

Once the amount of tryptophan accumulates within


the cell, it will act as a co-repressor and bind to the
inactive repressor protein. When tryptophan binds, it
leads to a confirmational change in shape of the
repressor protein which then activates it. Now the
repressor protein can bind to the operator and turn
off the operon. This will stop or slow down the
production of tryptophan. '
Inducible Operons

In inducible operons, the regulatory gene codes


for an active repressor protein and therefore
the operon is continually "off" or repressed.

Inducer molecules attach to the active repressor protein which leads to a


confirmational change in shape, causing the repressor to become inactive. This
causes the repressor protein to no longer find with the operator and the operon is
expressed or "on".

An example is the lac operon where lactose


in the environment acts as the inducer to
turn on the lac operon which codes for
enzymes to digest lactose.

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