REGULATION OF GENE EXPRESSION:
Regula on of gene expression in eukaryotes takes place in different level:
Transcrip onal level (forma on of primary transcript)
Processing level (regula on of splicing)
Transport of mRNA from nucleus to the cytoplasm.
Transla onal level.
In prokaryotes control of rate of transcrip onal ini a on is the predominant site for
control of gene expression.
The ac vity of RNA polymerase at the promoter is regulated by accessory proteins,
which affects its ability to recognize the start site.
The regulatory proteins can acts both posi vely (ac vators) or nega vely (repressor)
The regulatory proteins interact with specific region of DNA called operator, which
regulate the accessibility of RNA polymerase to promoter.
Lac operon:
Francois Jacob and Jacque Monod first to describe a transcrip onally regulated
system of gene expression.
A polycistronic structural gene is regulated by common promoter and regulatory
genes. Such regula on system is common in bacteria and is called operon.
Lac operon consists of:-
One regulator gene ( i-gene)
Three structural genes (z,y,a)
Operator. (binding site of repressor protein)
Promoter. (binding site of the RNA polymerase)
The i-gene codes for repressor of the lac operon.
The structural gene consist of three gene (z, y and a)
‘z’-gene codes for beta-galactosidase, which hydrolyze lactose into Galactose
and glucose.
‘y’ –gene codes for permease, which increases the permeability of bacterial
cell to lactose.
‘a’-gene codes for transacetylase.
All three genes are required for the metabolism of lactose in bacteria.
Inducer: lactose is the substrate for β- galactosidase and it regulates the switching on
and off of the lac operon. Hence it is called inducer.
In the absence of glucose, if lactose is added in the growth medium of the bacteria,
the lactose is transported into the cell by permease.
Very low level of expression of lac operon has to be present in the cell all the me;
otherwise lactose cannot enter the cell.
Mechanism of regula on of lac operon:
The repressor protein is synthesized from i-gene (all me cons tu vely)
In the absence of the inducer i.e. lactose the ac ve repressor binds to the operator
and prevents RNA polymerase from transcribing the structural gene
In the presence of the inducer such as lactose or allolactose, the repressor is
inac vated by interac on with inducer.
This allows RNA polymerase access to the promoter and transcrip on proceeds.
The regula on of lac operon by repressor is referred to as nega ve regula on.
