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If a, b, and c are all required for growth, a strain mutant for the gene encoding enzyme b would be able to grow on medium supplemented with which of the following nutrient(s)?

A. Enzyme a only
B. Enzyme c only
C. Enzymes a and c
D. Enzyme b only
E. None of the above

User LeelaSella
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

A strain mutant for the gene encoding enzyme b would be able to grow on medium supplemented with enzyme b only.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a, b, and c are all required for growth, and you have a strain mutant for the gene encoding enzyme b, then this strain would be unable to produce enzyme b on its own and therefore would require supplementation with enzyme b for growth. This is in line with the one gene-one enzyme hypothesis proposed by Beadle and Tatum, which suggests that each gene is responsible for producing a specific enzyme. When a gene is mutated and can't produce its enzyme, the pathway the enzyme is involved in gets interrupted. To restore growth in the case of a pathway required for survival, the missing enzyme must be provided. Therefore, the mutant strain would be able to grow on medium supplemented with enzyme b only.

User Gawyn
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