Final answer:
Correct statements regarding inducible operons are that in such an operon, an inducer inactivates a repressor which is synthesized in an active form.
The lac operon is a classic example of an inducible operon where allolactose binds to the repressor, inactivating it and enabling transcription when lactose is present.
Therefore, the correct answer is: option "an inducer inactivates the repressor."
Step-by-step explanation:
Inducible enzymes typically function in pathways involved in the metabolism of a specific substrate and are not generally associated with synthetic pathways that produce end products from raw materials.
Inducible operons are a type of regulatory mechanism found in prokaryotic cells. In an inducible operon, the repressor is typically synthesized in an active form.
Statements about inducible operons that are correct include: in an inducible operon, an inducer inactivates the repressor; in an inducible operon, the repressor is synthesized in an active form.
For example, the lac operon is an inducible operon. In the presence of lactose, an inducer called allolactose is formed. Allolactose binds to the repressor, effectively inactivating it and allowing transcription of the operon's genes, which are responsible for lactose metabolism.
Therefore, the correct statements are that an inducer inactivates the repressor in an inducible operon and that the repressor is initially synthesized in an active form.
Inducible operons, such as the lac operon, are crucial for a cell's efficient use of resources, as they are only activated in the presence of the specific substrate that the enzymes will act upon. This ensures that the cell does not waste energy producing enzymes that are not immediately needed.