Protein Engineering

Ximena Rodríguez De León

A01704448

What is the regulatory role of CAP-cAMP complex in E.

coli lac operon?

The lac operon of E. coli encodes the enzyme -galactosidase which hydrolyzes
lactose into galactose and glucose, this means that it is involved in the metabolism
of lactose. This operon can be “turned on” or “turned off” in response to lactose and
glucose levels, as it is expressed only when lactose is present, and glucose is
absent. The CAP-cAMP complex has a regulatory role as it is a glucose sensor.
CAP (Catabolite Activator Protein) activates transcription of the operon only when
the glucose levels it senses are low. The molecule cAMP (cyclic AMP) is the one
that helps the protein to sense these levels and decide if it needs to bind to CAP,
and therefore, making the protein able to bind to DNA and promote the transcription
process.
When glucose levels are normal, cAMP levels are very low and consequently,
transcription initiation from the lac operon is very low. As glucose levels decrease,
cAMP levels increase and activates CAP site, inducing transcription. This CAP-
cAMP complex is called a “positive regulator”.
(Sturm, 2020; Khan Academy, 2021).
References
Sturm, N. (2020). Regulation of Gene Expression. Retrieved 31 August 2021, from
http://www2.csudh.edu/nsturm/CHEMXL153/RegulationofGeneExpression.htm
The lac operon (article) | Khan Academy. (2021). Retrieved 31 August 2021, from
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-biology/gene-expression-and-
regulation/regulation-of-gene-expression-and-cell-specialization/a/the-lac-operon