According to the lac-operon concept, which functional unit of the bacterial gene material is responsible for suppressing the activity of the operator gene in the absent of lactose?
A
Promoter gene
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B
Repressor protein
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C
Regulator gene
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D
Structural gene
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Solution
The correct option is C Regulator gene
Lac operon consists of following components:
Structural genes- Theses are lac Z, lac Y and lac A which transcribe polycistronic mRNA and form 3 enzymes- beta galactosidase, lactose permease and transacetylase.
Operator gene- They control the functioning of structural genes. The cistrons are expressed only when the operator gene is turned on by an inducer which is lactose.
Promoter gene- It marks the site where RNA polymerase binds.
Regulator gene- In the absence of lactose, the regulator gene which codes for a protein called repressor combines with operator gene to stop its action. Thus the regulator gene suppresses the activity of operator gene.