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  • A low level of expression of lac operon occurs at all the time. Can you explain the logic behind this phenomenon?

A low level of expression of the lac operon occurs at all times. Can you explain the logic behind this phenomenon?

Answers (1)

A low level of expression of the lac operon at all times is essential for its functionality. The lac operon encodes proteins involved in the metabolism of lactose, including β-galactosidase, permease, and transacetylase. Even when lactose is absent, a small amount of these proteins is synthesized to make sure that the cell can quickly respond when lactose becomes available.

Specifically:

  • Permease is necessary to transport lactose into the cell.
  • β-galactosidase is required to convert lactose into allolactose, which acts as an inducer of the lac operon by inactivating the lac repressor.

Without this basal level of expression, the cell would not have the enzymes needed to sense and utilize lactose, making the system inefficient. This minimal expression ensures readiness to metabolize lactose when it becomes available,  a fine-tuned regulatory mechanism for resource efficiency.

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