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Multiple Choice
When are E. coli bacteria most likely to express the genes of the trp operon?
A
When tryptophan levels in the environment are high
B
When the repressor protein is bound to the operator
C
When glucose is absent but lactose is present
D
When tryptophan levels in the environment are low
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Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that the trp operon in E. coli is a group of genes involved in the synthesis of the amino acid tryptophan.
Recall that the trp operon is regulated by a repressor protein that can bind to the operator region of the operon to block transcription.
Recognize that the repressor protein is active only when it is bound to tryptophan, which acts as a corepressor.
Therefore, when tryptophan levels are high, the repressor binds tryptophan and then attaches to the operator, preventing gene expression.
Conversely, when tryptophan levels are low, the repressor cannot bind to the operator, allowing RNA polymerase to transcribe the genes of the trp operon.