Question

You are a graduate student studying transgenic genes. You have removed a eukaryotic cell gene for a protein X and inserted it into a prokaryotic cell. Although the gene was successfully transcribed and translated, it produced a larger protein X than it produced in the eukaryotic cell. What is the most likely explanation for this observation?

Answer 1

The absence of post-transcriptional regulation in prokaryotic cells is the most likely explanation for the larger protein X produced compared to eukaryotic cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

In prokaryotic organisms, transcription and translation occur almost simultaneously. When a gene is transcribed, it is immediately translated into a protein. Therefore, the amount of protein produced is directly proportional to the amount of transcription that occurs. In eukaryotic cells, however, transcription occurs in the nucleus and is separate from translation, which occurs in the cytoplasm. The mRNA transcript undergoes modifications before being transported out of the nucleus, and the regulation of gene expression can occur at multiple stages. Therefore, the most likely explanation for the larger protein X produced in the prokaryotic cell compared to the eukaryotic cell is the absence of post-transcriptional regulation in the prokaryotic cell.