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Concepts of Genetics, 11e, (Klug et al.)
Chapter 16 Regulation of Gene Expression in Prokaryotes

1) What term would be applied to a regulatory condition that occurs when protein is associated with a
particular section of DNA and greatly reduces transcription?
A) negative control
B) positive control
C) induction
D) activation
E) stimulation
Answer: A
Section: 16.1

2) What term refers to a contiguous genetic complex that is under coordinated control?
A) lysogen
B) prototroph
C) operon
D) allosteric
E) attenuation
Answer: C
Section: 16.2

3) Which term most appropriately refers to a regulatory protein in prokaryotes?

A) translation
B) RNA processing
C) DNA binding protein
D) gyrase action
E) helicase activation
Answer: C
Section: 16.2

4) In the lac operon, the product of structural gene lacZ is capable of ________.
A) nonautonomous replication
B) forming lactose from two glucose molecules
C) replacing hexokinase in the early steps of glycolysis
D) splitting the -linkage of lactose
E) forming ATP from pyruvate
Answer: D
Section: 16.2

5) Which of the following terms best characterizes catabolite repression associated with the lac operon in
E. coli?
A) inducible system
B) repressible system
C) negative control
D) positive control
E) constitutive
Answer: D
Section: 16.3
6) When referring to attenuation in regulation of the trp operon, it would be safe to say that when there
are high levels of tryptophan available to the organism, ________.
A) the trp operon is being transcribed at relatively high levels
B) translational termination is likely
C) transcriptional termination is likely
D) tryptophan is inactivating the repressor protein
E) ribosomes are stalling during translation of the attenuator region
Answer: C
Section: 16.5

7) Genetic regulation in prokaryotes can involve alterations in RNA secondary structure. What
phenomenon occurs in the trp operon that involves such alterations?
A) transcription
B) capping
C) polyadenylation of the 3′ end of the mRNAs
D) intron processing
E) attenuation
Answer: E
Section: 16.6

8) What two important domains within a riboswitch involve the ligand-binding site?
A) aptamer and expression platform
B) A site and B site
C) B site and C site
D) alpha and beta
E) conformation and anticonformation
Answer: A
Section: 16.6

9) The ara operon is controlled by a regulator protein that exerts ________.

A) induction and expression
B) expressivity and penetrance
C) positive and negative control
D) upward and reverse control
E) top and bottom control
Answer: C
Section: 16.7

10) Compare and contrast positive and negative control of gene expression in bacteria.
Answer: Both forms of control result from an interaction of a molecule (usually considered to be a
protein) with the genetic material (either RNA or DNA). Positive control results when the interaction
stimulates transcription, whereas negative control occurs when the interaction inhibits transcription.
Section: 16.1

11) Present an overview of prokaryotic regulation in terms of growth efficiency.

Answer: Genetic systems have evolved that allow for "in-house" production of growth substances when
not supplied in the environment or when in full supply. When needed substances are in full supply, such
genetic systems are repressed.
Section: 16.1

12) In the accompanying diagram, what type of control, positive or negative, is operating?
Answer: positive
Section: 16.1

13) Certain mutations in the regulator gene of the lac system in E. coli result in maximal synthesis of the
lac proteins (β-galactosidase, etc.) even in the absence of the inducer (lactose). Provide an explanation for
this observation.
Answer: There has been a mutation in the gene that produces the repressor, or the operator is mutated so
that it will not interact with the repressor.
Section: 16.2

14) Present a detailed description of the actions of the regulatory proteins in inducible and repressible
enzyme systems.
Answer: Inducible system: the repressor is normally active, but the inducer inactivates the repressor.
Repressible system: the repressor is inactive but is activated by the corepressor. Active repressors turn off
transcription.
Section: 16.2

15) (a) Describe by labeled diagram the structural components of the lac operon in E. coli.
(b) State the function of the lac regulator gene.
(c) State the function of β-galactosidase in the lac system.
(d) Show by diagram the manner in which lactose brings about transcription of the three structural genes
of the lac operon.
(e) Explain why certain mutations in the regulator gene (I—) of the lac system result in maximal synthesis
of β-galactosidase, permease, and transacetylase even in the absence of the inducer (lactose).
Answer: (a) See appropriate diagrams in the text. (b) The regulator gene produces a repressor protein
that interacts with the operator to shut off transcription. In the presence of lactose, the repressor protein
does not interact with the operator. (c) β-galactosidase cleaves the lactose sugar into its components,
glucose and galactose. (d) See appropriate diagrams in the text. (e) Such mutations provide modified
proteins that are unable to associate with the operator to shut off transcription.
Section: 16.2
16) The table below lists several genotypes associated with the lac operon in E. coli. For each, indicate with
a "+" or a "—" whether functional β-galactosidase would be expected to be produced at induced levels.

Answer:
(a) — + (b) + +
(c) + + (d) + +
Section: 16.2

17) The accompanying table lists several genotypes associated with the lac operon in E. coli. For each,
indicate with a "+" or a "—" whether β-galactosidase would be expected to be produced at induced levels.

Answer:
(a) — +
(b) — —
(c) + +
(d) — —
Section: 16.2

18) Describe what is meant by a gratuitous inducer. Give an example.

Answer: A gratuitous inducer is a chemical analogue of a natural inducer. It serves as an inducer but is
not a substrate for the reactions related to the natural inducer. Isopropylthiogalactoside (IPTG) is a
gratuitous inducer of the lactose operon.
Section: 16.2
19) A constitutive mutation in the lac operon may be of several types. Name two types of constitutive
mutations.
Answer: lacI— and lacOc
Section: 16.2

20) What is the function of the lacY gene in the lac operon?
Answer: The lacY gene codes for permease, a membrane-bound protein that transports lactose into the
bacterial cell.
Section: 16.2

21) Explain why lacOc mutations are cis-acting while lacI mutations can be trans-acting.
Answer: The operator region does not produce a diffusible product, while the lacI gene does.
Section: 16.2

22) What experimental results would indicate that the mutation lacIs is dominant to lacI+?
Answer: In lacIs / lacI+ partial diploids, the lac operon is in a repressed state in the presence of lactose.
Section: 16.2

23) What symbols are used to describe constitutive mutations at specific regions of the lac regulatory
system?
Answer: I— and Oc
Section: 16.2

24) The cAMP-CAP complex and RNA polymerase bind more efficiently to the lac operon together than
either does alone. What term is applied to this increased efficiency of binding?
Answer: cooperative binding
Section: 16.3

25) Describe the positive control exerted by the catabolite activating protein (CAP). Include a description
of catabolite repression.
Answer: Regarding regulation of the lac operon, in the absence of glucose, CAP (dependent on cAMP
and adenyl cyclase) binds to the CAP site and facilitates transcription (positive control). Transcription of
the operon is inhibited in the presence of glucose (catabolite repression).
Section: 16.3

26) The catabolite repression system in E. coli essentially represses the lac operon when glucose is present.
What evolutionary advantage would favor evolution of such a system?
Answer: Glucose can enter glycolysis "as is," while lactose must first be split into glucose and galactose.
To do so, the energy-requiring synthesis of β-galactosidase is required. It is more energy efficient to burn
glucose than lactose.
Section: 16.3

27) Regarding the trp operon, trpR— maps to a considerable distance from the structural genes. The
mutation either inhibits the interaction with tryptophan or inhibits repressor formation entirely. In the
presence of tryptophan in the medium, would you expect the trp operon to be transcriptionally active?
Explain.
Answer: With either of the two scenarios mentioned in the problem, the absence of repressor function in
a repressible system means that there would be no repression of the operon. The operon would be
transcriptionally active.
Section: 16.5
28) Within the control region of the trp operon is a section of DNA that is sensitive to levels of tryptophan
in the system. What is the name of this region?
Answer: leader or attenuator region
Section: 16.5

29) Regarding regulation of the trp operon, what might one appropriately call the amino acid tryptophan?
Answer: corepressor
Section: 16.5

30) What is an allosteric molecule?

Answer: One that can change in shape, and therefore function, while interacting with other molecules.
Section: 16.5

31) State whether the following statement is true or false, then give your reasoning. The terminating
"hairpin" loop occurs in the trp operon when sufficient tryptophan is present.
Answer: True; the hairpin loop terminates transcription.
Section: 16.5

32) Monod discovered that if tryptophan is present in relatively high quantities in the growth medium,
the enzymes necessary for its synthesis are repressed. How does this occur?
Answer: Attenuation occurs in which transcription of the operon is terminated.
Section: 16.6

33) Under a system of positive control, transcription does not occur unless a regulator molecule directly
stimulates RNA production.
Answer: TRUE
Section: 16.1

34) Under a system of negative control, genetic expression occurs unless such expression is shut off by
some form of regulator.
Answer: TRUE
Section: 16.1

35) The lac operon consists of three structural genes as well as the adjacent region of DNA known as the
regulator.
Answer: FALSE
Section: 16.2

36) Regarding the lactose utilization system in E. coli, a constitutive mutant is one in which the three
enzymes are produced regardless of the presence or absence of lactose.
Answer: TRUE
Section: 16.2

37) Regarding the lactose utilization system in E. coli, a gratuitous inducer is a molecule that is chemically
analogous to lactose and induces the operon, but is not a substrate for the enzymes of the lac operon.
Answer: TRUE
Section: 16.2
38) The enzyme permease cleaves the linkage between glucose and galactose residues in lactose.
Answer: FALSE
Section: 16.2

39) The trp operon is typically characterized as being both under negative control and repressible.
Answer: TRUE
Section: 16.6

40) Attenuation is known to occur in the lac operon.

Answer: FALSE
Section: 16.6

41) Attenuation involves the termination of mRNA synthesis.

Answer: TRUE
Section: 16.6

42) The trp and lac operons are both subject to forms of control that are typically called negative.
Answer: TRUE
Section: 16.6