The lactose (lac) operon in E. coli is an example of a gene that is repressed when lactose is not available in a cell. In 3-5 sentences, explain what this means, using correct terminology.(4 points)
The lactose (lac) operon is a cluster of genes involved in the metabolism of lactose in E. coli. When lactose is not available in the cell, the gene responsible for producing the enzyme to metabolize lactose is repressed. This repression is due to the binding of a protein called the lac repressor to the operator region of the lac operon. The lac repressor prevents the transcription of the genes involved in lactose metabolism, ensuring that the cell conserves energy by not producing unnecessary enzymes when lactose is absent.
@Dr. Jay is it really you from the kansas connections or is it a student who put that teachers name in?
