Genetics Bios

Regulation of Genes and Their Products

Depending on the necessity for the gene products by the cell, different genes are expressed at different
rates and times. For example, during fetal development, the gene that creates the ear is less often
expressed than the one that creates the protein digesting enzyme trypsin. This approach of controlling
gene expression is fundamentally based on three assumptions: (1) the cell's requirement for the gene
product at a certain moment; (2) the quantity required; and (3) effective use of energy expended
during gene production.

Eukaryotic cells have more intricate regulatory systems than prokaryotic cells do when it comes to
controlling the expression of their genes. The operons—clusters of genes with similar functions—are
regulated by specific regulatory mechanisms in prokaryotes. The lactose (lac) and tryptophan (trp)
operons, as well as their control, will be the subject of this exercise.

Objectives

At the end of this activity, you should be able to:

1. determine the genes that make up the lac and trp operons;
2. describe how the genes in the lac and trp operons work;
3. explain how lactose and tryptophan, respectively, affect how the lac and trp operons are
controlled; and
4. solve genetic problems involving gene expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes

Materials

Two sets of colored pieces of cardboard per group

Scissors
Electrophoretic data on differential gene regulation

Activity

Genetic Regulation

1. The lac operon (inducible system) and trp operon (repressible system) will be constructed by
each group. Discuss the two models in a form of an analogy.
2. Cut out the structural components of the regulatory systems using the set of colored cardboard
pieces, and then arrange them like a jigsaw puzzle. Each component should differ in either
color or form.
3. Once the models are completed, discuss through simulation how the models will work in the
regulation of gene expression.
4. Following this activity, finish the worksheet.
Required Output

For this laboratory activity, you are required to submit (1) laboratory worksheets, (2) a video simulation
of gene regulation of the two systems (inducible and repressible) both by group (per row).
Name: Date Submitted:
Section Code: Instructor:

Laboratory Activity 6
Regulation of Genes and Their Products

ACTIVITY SHEET

1. Given the following genotypes, explain, by answering the questions in each number, how the
loss-of-function mutation (identified by a (-) superscript) will affect E. coli grown in lactose
medium.

a. i+ p+ o+ z- y+
Implications:

Will there be a complete set of

gene products? (Yes/No)
Will the lac operon be turned
on/off?
Will the cell survive? (Yes/No)

b. i+ p- o+ z+ y+
Implications:

Will there be a complete set of

gene products? (Yes/No)
Will the lac operon be turned
on/off?
Will the cell survive? (Yes/No)

c. i+ p+ o- z+ y+
Implications:

Will there be a complete set of

gene products? (Yes/No)
Will the lac operon be turned
on/off?
Will the cell survive? (Yes/No)
2. After the addition of lactose to E. coli culture, the enzymes required for lactose utilization start
to be produced by the cells. The production of the enzymes for the tryptophan pathway, in
contrast, stops when tryptophan is given to the culture medium. Explain the differences
between the two systems and why these are regulated differently. For each operon, describe
the exact regulatory mechanisms at play in the relevant situations as well as the kind of
regulation.