Gene Control in Prokaryotes

Chapter 16 – Inheritance
 INTRODUCTION
The enzyme, β-galactosidase also known as lactase is produced by a structural gene. This
gene codes for the production of a protein that is used by the cell. While most structural
genes code for proteins that become part of a structure in the cell, many other structural
genes also happen to have different roles, such as coding for enzymes.
The expression of the lactase gene is controlled by other genes that lie close to it on the
circular DNA (DNA molecule). These are called regulatory genes.

KEY WORDS :
β-galactosidase: an enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis of lactose to glucose and
galactose
Structural genes:: a gene that codes for a protein that has a function within a cell
Regulatory genes:: a gene that codes for a protein that helps to control the expression of
other genes
 Inducible Enzymes
Some genes code for proteins that form enzymes.
Some enzymes are required all the time and some are required
only at specific times.
The expression of enzyme-producing genes can be controlled.
Inducible enzymes are only synthesized when their substrate
is present.
The presence of the substrate induces the synthesis of the
enzyme by causing the transcription of the gene for the
enzyme to start.
 Repressible Enzymes
● Repressible enzymes are synthesized as normal until a repressor
protein binds to an operator.
>The presence of the repressor protein represses the synthesis of the
enzyme by causing the transcription of the gene for the enzyme to
stop.
● Controlling when enzymes are synthesized can be beneficial for cells
as it stops materials and energy being wasted .
>For example, using materials and energy to synthesize an enzyme
when its substrate is not present and it can’t carry out its function
would be highly wasteful.
 Lac Operon

The structural and regulatory genes that work together are

generally found in a group, and this cluster of genes is called
operon.
&
The operon that is responsible for the production of lactase in
bacteria is called the lac operon.

Close to the promoter, although not part of the operon, is the

regulatory gene for the lac operon.
 Lac Operon contains:
Transcription of all these genes is controlled by the same
promoter , and they are all transcribed at the same time.

lacZ: coding for β-galactosidase (hydrolyses lactose to

glucose + galactose)
lacY: coding for permease (which allows lactose to enter the
cell)
lacA: coding for transacetylase
 When the lactose is absent :

When the lactose is absent in the medium where the bacterium is growing is as
follows:
 The regulatory gene codes for a protein.
 The repressor binds to the operator region, close to the gene for β-galactosidase
or lacZ.
 Because the repressor is attached to the operator, RNA polymerase can't bind to
DNA at promoter region.
 As a result there is no transcription of the 3 structural genes.

The repressor protein is allosteric (has 2 binding sites). This repressor protein binds
to DNA at one site and to lactose at the other site. When the lactose binds to its site,
the shape of the repressor protein changes so that the DNA binding site is closed.
When lactose is absent
 When lactose is present:
This makes sure that the bacterium can produce
β-galactosidase, permease and transacetylase
only when lactose is available in the surrounding
medium. This avoids waste of energy and
materials.
When lactose is present in the
medium where the bacterium is
growing is as follows:
>lactose taken up by bacterium
>lactose binds to repressor protein,
distorts shape and prevents it from
binding to the operator region on the
DNA (closes DNA binding site)
>transcription no longer inhibited
>mRNA produced from 3 structural
genes
 QUESTIONS
RELATED TO
GENE
CONTROL IN
PROKARYOTES
Some genes are transcribed all the time to produce constitutive
proteins; others are only ‘switched on’ when their protein products
are required. 
a) Distinguish between structural and regulatory genes and between
repressible and inducible enzymes .
b) Explain genetic control of protein production in a prokaryote using
the lac operon .
c) Explain the function of transcription factors in gene expression in
eukaryotes .
d) Explain how gibberellin activates genes by causing the breakdown
of DELLA protein repressors, which normally inhibit factors that
promote transcription.
 THANK
YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!