Table of contents
- 1. Introduction to Genetics51m
- 2. Mendel's Laws of Inheritance3h 37m
- 3. Extensions to Mendelian Inheritance2h 41m
- 4. Genetic Mapping and Linkage2h 28m
- 5. Genetics of Bacteria and Viruses1h 21m
- 6. Chromosomal Variation1h 48m
- 7. DNA and Chromosome Structure56m
- 8. DNA Replication1h 10m
- 9. Mitosis and Meiosis1h 34m
- 10. Transcription1h 0m
- 11. Translation58m
- 12. Gene Regulation in Prokaryotes1h 19m
- 13. Gene Regulation in Eukaryotes44m
- 14. Genetic Control of Development44m
- 15. Genomes and Genomics1h 50m
- 16. Transposable Elements47m
- 17. Mutation, Repair, and Recombination1h 6m
- 18. Molecular Genetic Tools19m
- 19. Cancer Genetics29m
- 20. Quantitative Genetics1h 26m
- 21. Population Genetics50m
- 22. Evolutionary Genetics29m
12. Gene Regulation in Prokaryotes
Lac Operon
Problem 20b
Textbook Question
Textbook QuestionSuppose each of the genotypes you listed in parts (a) and (b) of Problem 19 are placed in a partial diploid genotype along with a chromosome that has a fully wild-type lac operon.
Will the transcription of operon genes in each partial diploid be inducible or constitutive?

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Lac Operon
The lac operon is a set of genes in E. coli that are involved in the metabolism of lactose. It consists of structural genes (lacZ, lacY, and lacA) and regulatory elements that control their expression. The operon is typically off but can be induced in the presence of lactose, which binds to the repressor protein, allowing transcription to occur.
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Partial Diploidy
Partial diploidy refers to a genetic condition where an organism has two copies of some genes but only one copy of others. In the context of bacteria, this often occurs through the introduction of plasmids or other genetic elements, allowing researchers to study gene interactions and regulatory mechanisms by comparing the effects of different alleles in the same cell.
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Inducible vs. Constitutive Expression
Inducible expression refers to genes that are turned on in response to specific signals, such as the presence of a substrate like lactose for the lac operon. In contrast, constitutive expression describes genes that are continuously active regardless of environmental conditions. Understanding these concepts is crucial for predicting how the presence of different genotypes will affect the transcription of operon genes.
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