Question

Can the protein produced by the regulatory gene in model 3 bind to the operon itself? If no, describe what must occur in order for it to bind.

Answer 1

The protein produced by the regulatory gene can bind to the operon itself in prokaryotic cells. This binding occurs through repressive control, which can be prevented by the presence of an inducer molecule.

Step-by-step explanation:

In prokaryotic cells, the protein produced by the regulatory gene can bind to the operon itself. This occurs in repressive control when the protein binds to the operator sequence, physically preventing RNA polymerase from binding and activating transcription.

However, when certain conditions are met, such as the presence of an inducer molecule, the protein's binding to the operator is prevented, allowing RNA polymerase to transcribe the operon. For example, in the lac operon, the repressor protein binds to the operator in the absence of lactose, but when lactose is present, the inducer molecule allolactose binds to the repressor, preventing its binding to the operator.