<h2>Lac operon </h2>
Explanation:
Lac operon present in prokaryotic chromosomes whose product involves in transportation and catabolism of lactose
- Lac operon consists of three structural genes called Lac Z,Lac Y and Lac A and a regulatory element(promoter and operator)
- Lac I gene is present outside the Lac operon,act as regulatory gene and control the expression of Lac operon genes
- Lac Z codes for β galactosidase which converts lactose into allolactose
- Lac Y codes for Lac permease which act as a membrane transporter and transport lactose into the cells
- Lac A codes for transacetylase which neutralize the toxic effects of lactose
Lac operon in absence of lactose
- In absence of lactose Lac operon exists in switch off state
- Lac I gene produces Lac repressor which binds to operator region and prevent binding of RNA Polymerase thus blocks transcription
Lac operon in presence of lactose
- In presence of lactose Lac operon exists in switch on state
- In presence of lactose few molecules of Lac operon enzyme catalyse conversion of lactose to allolactose
- Allolactose act as an inducer,binds to the Lac repressor and induce conformational changes causing dissociation of Lac repressor from operator
- In absence of Lac repressor RNA Polymerase binds to the promoter and starts transcription of genes which catabolize lactose
Lac promoter is a weak promoter and direct transcription of Lac operon genes in very low level in presence of lactose
- For higher level expression of Lac operon genes,operon system require conversion of weak promoter to strong promoter which is always mediated by catabolite protein-cAMP complex(CAP-cAMP complex)
- CAP cAMP complex binds to the upstream of promoter called CAP binding site and stimulate expression of Lac operon genes by facilitating binding of RNA Polymerase
- Catabolite activator protein(CAP) or cAMP receptor protein(CRP) activate when cAMP binds
- cAMP is a secondary messenger synthesized from ATP and act as co-activator of CRP
- With respect to CAP cAMP complex Lac operon system is positively controlled
- In prokaryotic cell cAMP is very low when glucose concentration is relatively high and vice versa
- At high concentration of glucose the growth rate is maximum and lactose catabolism is repressed called catabolite repression