Question

Name the inducer in the lac operon.

Answer 1

Lac Operon:

1. A lactose operon consists of a group of genes present in Escherichia coli and other bacteria that are responsible for lactose absorption and metabolism.
2. A chemical that regulates gene expression is known as an inducer.
3. Lactose and lactose's structural isomer, allolactose, are the lac operon's primary inducers.
4. The lactose molecules attach to the repressor and operator of the lac operon. The lac operon's inactivity is caused by the repressor. The operator of the lac operon frees up when it binds to lactose, and this is known as the lac operon turning on. This results from conformational changes in the operator's binding site.
5. Lac operon is normally turned off (repressed) but in the presence of allolactose, which acts as an inducer, it can be turned on.
6. Hence, it is classified as an inducible operon.