Question

In E. coli, a mutation in the genes encoding which of the following proteins would disable the ability of the cell to recognize double-stranded breaks and conduct recombination during meiosis?

a)RecG
b)RecA
c)RecBCD
d)RuvACB

Answer 1

A mutation in the genes encoding the RecA protein would disable the ability of E. coli to recognize double-stranded breaks and conduct recombination, as RecA is central in DNA repair processes.

Step-by-step explanation:

In E. coli, a mutation in the genes encoding the RecA protein would disable the ability of the cell to recognize double-stranded breaks and conduct recombination. This is because RecA is crucial in DNA repair processes, including the homologous recombination pathways that repair double-stranded DNA breaks. Although E. coli does not undergo meiosis, it does undergo similar recombination processes during DNA repair and conjugation. Proteins like RecBCD and RuvACB also play roles in recombination, but RecA's role is central in the recognition and initiation of the repair process, as it is evolutionarily conserved and serves as the homolog to Rad51 in eukaryotes which initiates synapsis during meiosis.