Final answer:
The lac operon has multiple operator sites for the lac repressor: the main site O1 and additional sites O2 and O3 which play a role in the regulation of gene expression.
Step-by-step explanation:
The lac operon in E. coli bacteria is a classic example of an inducible operon and is an essential concept in molecular biology. How many operator sites for the lac repressor does the lac operon have? The lac operon has multiple operator sites: the primary operator site O1 and two additional sites, O2 and O3. These sites interact with the repressor protein to regulate the expression of genes responsible for lactose metabolism in the bacteria. Mutations in O2 or O3 alone do not have a significant effect; however, a double mutation results in a substantial reduction of repressor binding, indicating the importance of these sites in the operon's regulation.
So, the correct answer to your question is: C) Lac operon has multiple operator sites.