Trp Operon Mutations Assignment

Name:
Student ID:
Teacher:
Date:
Name: Date:

trp Operon Mutations Assignment

1. How does gene regulation involving trp repressor protein differ from what you observed
with the lac repressor in the previous lesson? (2 points)

The trp repressor protein is different because the RNA polymerase occurs when tryptophan
is present. Tryptophan binds with the repressor and activates it. The activated repressor binds
to the operator and blocks transcription. In the lac repressor protein when lactose is present
lactose binds to the repressor causing it to not be able to bind to the operator, allowing
transcription to occur. When the trp repressor is activated it stops transcription while when
the lac repressor is activated it allows transcription to occur.

Furthermore, the gene regulation involving trp repressor protein differs from the one with
the lac repressor according to many aspects. As mentioned above, the lac repressor protein is
active after being synthesized from the regulatory genes, it will bind to the operator site
directly and the lac operon is turned “off” until lactose is present. However, the trp repressor
protein is initially inactive and won’t hinder the trp operon unless tryptophan proteins are
plentiful in the cells. Therefore, lac repressor protein starts working immediately after being
produced, while trp repressor protein only works under the conditions of excess tryptophan
molecules.

To summarize, both operons make similar repressors that work to switch off the operon,
but their repressions occur under different situations. The gene regulation involving lac
repressor is controlled by the external product, lactose, but not the end product of the lac
operon. On the other hand, the end product of the trp operon, tryptophan, will participate in
the regulation of its own repression actively. This is how the trp repressor and the lac repressor
protein are both different from each other when gene regulation is involved.

2. Based on your understanding of gene regulation in the cell and the function of the trp
operon, describe how this process would be affected if there was a mutation in the
operator region so that the operator could not carry out its function. (4 points)

If a mutation were to occur in the operator region of the trp operon it would cause the
repressor to not be able to bind to the operator. This would mean that even when there is
enough tryptophan, mRNA keeps getting produced because the repressor is not able to bind to
the operator to stop the RNA polymerase from attaching to the promoter. This creates an
endless supply of tryptophan.

To explain in scientific terms, if there was a mutation in the operator region so that
operator could not carry out the function, then even after the trp repressor proteins was
activated and bound with the excess tryptophan molecules, they would still lose ability to bind
to the operator site.
 Accordingly, even though there were abundant repressor proteins, the trp operon would
continue transcribing series of genes into RNA transcripts. The cell metabolism would be
changed negatively as energies and raw materials were wasted, which will affect the other
pivotal cell processes.

3. What would be the result in this process of gene mutation that altered the shape of the
trp repressor protein? (4 points)

The result of a genetic mutation that causes the shape of the trp repressor protein to
change means that the repressor is not able to bind with tryptophan properly causing an excess
amount of tryptophan to be created because the repressor is not able to bind with the operator
causing RNA polymerase to continuously bind to the promoter synthesizing more tryptophan.
To explain, if there was a mutation that altered the shape of trp repressor proteins, then the
shape of allosteric sites might be changed as well, which means it would be challenging for
tryptophan molecules, corepressor, to combine with them. As a result, the end product,
tryptophan, of the trp operon would lose ability to control its own gene repression, and then
the cells will keep producing excess tryptophan molecules until using up all energies and
materials that were required.