Are my answers correct?
1. If a bacterium with a wildtype lac operon is grown in the presence of lactose, high levels of transcription result for a while, however, eventually transcription is again down-regulated. If, on the other hand, the sugar IPTG is present (instead of lactose), transcription levels are high and remain high. What function do IPTG and lactose share? How are they differently affected by the operon product?
Lactose and IPTG are both inducers of the Lac-Operon. Lactose is a substance that the enzyme will react with (substrate), which is split or cleaved by the Beta-galactosidase. When you add lactose expressions level of lac operon will increase but as lactose is used by the beta-galactosidase expression levels of lac operon will decrease.
IPTG is a chemical cannot be split or cleaved by beta-galactosidase. The expression level of lac operon will remain the same.
Or Lactose can be easily broken down but IPTG cannot be broken down. What does expressions level mean?
2. If a lacI - bacterium is grown in the presence of the sugar X-gal, a blue dye appears; however, the concentration of X-gal decreases over time. What has happened to the X-gal?
If a lacI - bacterium is grown in the presence of the sugar X-gal, the Lacl is mutant or the gene is damaged which alters the genetic message carried by that gene. The LacI gene produces the repressor protein which switches off the operon, but since it is damaged no repressor protein is produced and the operon is switched on. The Lacl is transcribed into beta-galactosidase (lactose) The enzyme beta-galactosidase (lactose) splits or separates the X-gal which will result in decreased concentration of X-gal with time.
3. If a wildtype bacterium is grown in the presence of the sugar X-gal, transcription of the polycistronic m-RNA does not occur. What is X-gal unable to do? Without adding lactose (or genetically modifying the bacteria), how could you fix this problem
X-gal cannot form lactose, the repressor remains off and beta-galactosidase is not formed. This can be fixed by adding IPTG which can switch on the operon
