Final answer:
Operons in prokaryotic cells can be regulated through repression, activation, and induction. Repressors physically prevent transcription, while activators enhance transcription. Inducers can affect transcription by interacting with repressors or activators.
Step-by-step explanation:
In prokaryotic cells, operons can be regulated by repressors, activators, and inducers. Repressors physically prevent transcription by binding to the operator sequence, whereas activators enhance transcription by helping RNA polymerase bind to the promoter. Inducers can affect transcription by interacting with repressors or activators.
An example of an operon that uses repression is the trp operon, which is turned off when tryptophan is not needed by the cell. On the other hand, the lac operon is an example of an inducible operon, which is turned on in the presence of lactose.
To induce transcription, you can add an inducer that will prevent the repressor from binding to the operator or activate the operon with an activator protein. For example, adding lactose to the lac operon will induce transcription by preventing the repressor from binding to the operator.