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Ch. 8 - Microbial Genetics
Chapter 8, Problem 8.7a

Use the following choices to answer questions 7 and 8:
a. catabolite repression
b. DNA polymerase
c. induction
d. repression
e. translation


Mechanism by which the presence of glucose inhibits the lac operon.

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1
Identify the mechanism that involves the inhibition of the lac operon in the presence of glucose.
Recall that the lac operon is a set of genes responsible for the metabolism of lactose in bacteria.
Understand that when glucose is present, bacteria prefer to use it over lactose, leading to the inhibition of the lac operon.
Recognize that this process is a regulatory mechanism that prevents the expression of genes involved in lactose metabolism when glucose is available.
Match this description with the provided choices to identify the correct term.

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Key Concepts

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

Catabolite Repression

Catabolite repression is a regulatory mechanism in bacteria that prioritizes the use of certain carbon sources over others. When glucose is present, it inhibits the expression of genes involved in the metabolism of alternative sugars, such as lactose. This ensures that the cell efficiently utilizes the most energetically favorable substrate, thereby conserving resources and energy.
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Repressible Operons

Lac Operon

The lac operon is a set of genes in E. coli that are responsible for the metabolism of lactose. It consists of structural genes that encode proteins necessary for lactose uptake and breakdown. The operon is regulated by the presence of lactose and glucose, with catabolite repression playing a key role in its inhibition when glucose is available.
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The Lac Operon

Induction and Repression

Induction and repression are two fundamental mechanisms of gene regulation. Induction refers to the process by which a molecule (like lactose) increases the expression of a gene, while repression involves the inhibition of gene expression, often in response to the presence of a preferred substrate (like glucose). In the context of the lac operon, glucose presence leads to repression, preventing lactose metabolism.
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Repressible Operons
Related Practice
Textbook Question

Bacteria can acquire antibiotic resistance by all of the following except

a. mutation.

b. insertion of transposons.

c. conjugation.

d. snRNPs.

e. transformation.

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Textbook Question

Identify when (before transcription, after transcription but before translation, after translation) each of the following regulatory mechanisms functions.

a. ATP combines with an enzyme, altering its shape.

b. A short RNA is synthesized that is complementary to mRNA.

c. Methylation of DNA occurs.

d. An inducer combines with a repressor.

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Textbook Question

Plasmids differ from transposons in that plasmids

a. become inserted into chromosomes.

b. are self-replicated outside the chromosome.

c. move from chromosome to chromosome.

d. carry genes for antibiotic resistance.

e. none of the above

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Textbook Question

You are provided with cultures with the following characteristics:

Culture 1: F^+, genotype A^+B^+C^+

Culture 2: F ̄, genotype A ̄B ̄C ̄

a. Indicate the possible genotypes of a recombinant cell resulting from the conjugation of cultures 1 and 2.

b. Indicate the possible genotypes of a recombinant cell resulting from conjugation of the two cultures after the F^+ has become an Hfr cell.

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Textbook Question

Use the following choices to answer questions 7 and 8:

a. catabolite repression

b. DNA polymerase

c. induction

d. repression

e. translatio


The mechanism by which lactose controls the lac operon.

111
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Textbook Question

Why are mutation and recombination important in the process of natural selection and the evolution of organisms?

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