Question

The lambda immediate early gene n:_____. question 9 options:

a. activates late gene expression
b. is not needed for the lysogenic cycle
c. is a repressor that maintains the lysogenic cycle.
d. encodes an antitermination factor
e. is not needed for the lytic cycle

Answer 1

The lambda immediate early gene N encodes an antitermination factor essential for the lytic cycle, but not for the lysogenic cycle, where the phage DNA integrates into the host's genome.

Step-by-step explanation:

The lambda immediate early gene N encodes an antitermination factor. This protein plays a crucial role in the lytic cycle of bacteriophage lambda by allowing RNA polymerase to transcribe past certain termination signals in the phage's genome, which results in the production of transcripts necessary for subsequent stages of the lytic pathway. This gene N is essential for the lytic cycle but not required for the lysogenic cycle, where the phage DNA is integrated into the host's genome and maintained in a dormant state, which can later be reactivated to enter the lytic cycle under environmental stressors.