PROKARYOTIC GENE

REGULATION
Chapter 18.4

Outline
Why regulate gene expression?
Operon basics
Repressible operons
Inducible operons
Positive gene regulation (amping it up)

Why regulate gene expression?

To cope with environmental fluctuation!
Organisms dont need to always make the exact same amount

of a gene product (protein)

Example: E. coli in the human colon
Dependent on nutrients coming from whatever the host eats
If environment lacks a certain amino acid, E. coli will spend
some of its precious energy to make that amino acid itself by
activating genes that control the metabolic pathway for
making that particular amino acid.
If the environment later has that amino acid, E. coli will turn
off the metabolic pathway for making the amino acid so it
doesnt squander precious resources.

Why regulate gene expression?

Two methods for metabolic control:
1.

2.

Cells adjust the activity of enzymes that are already

present.
For example, the activity of the first enzyme in the
tryptophan synthesis pathway is inhibited by the
pathways product. Thus, if tryptophan accumulates, then
the enzymes that make tryptophan are inhibited.
Negative feedback loop.
Cells adjust the amount of enzymes that are being made.
If the environment continues to provide a lot of
tryptophan, the ell will stop making the enzymes that work
in the tryptophan pathway.

Why regulate gene expression?

Operon Basics
Operon: when genes of related function are grouped

into one transcription unit with a single on-off switch.

Operons consist of:
1. Promoter: DNA sequence that helps RNA
polymerase to bind and indicates where to start
transcribing RNA.
2. Operator: the switch; positioned either within the
promoter or between the promoter and the enzymecoding genes.
3. Genes: related genes for making all the enzymes
needed for a metabolic pathway.

Operon Basics
Operator = switch
Switch is normally turned on = repressible operon

Repressor: protein that binds to a repressible operon and

blocks the attachment of RNA polymerase, preventing

transcription.
Note: repressors only bind to certain operons, not all
operons.
Switch is normally turned off = inducible operon
Inducer: substance that binds to a repressor and alters its
shape, keeping the repressor from binding to the operator.
Without a bound repressor, the operon can now be
transcribed.

Operon Basics
Operator
Where
do =repressors
come from?
switch
Regulatory
genes that
code
repressor
are found
Switch is normally
turned
onfor
= the
repressible
operon
downstream
from
the operon
thetorepressor
they control.
Repressor:
protein
that binds
a repressible
operon and
Regulatory
genes
have their
own polymerase,
promoters and
are
blocks the
attachment
of RNA
preventing
expressed
continuously.
transcription.
Note: repressors only bind to certain operons, not all
If repressors are always being made, why are operons
operons.
not ALWAYS switched off?
Switch is normally turned off = inducible operon
Binding of repressors is reversible.
Inducer: substance
that binds
to a repressor and alters its
Repressors
can be activated
or inactivated.
shape, keeping
theworks
repressor
binding to the
operator.
Example:
tryptophan
as afrom
corepressor.
It binds
to the
Without arepressor,
bound repressor,
operoninactive,
can nowand
be turns
tryptophan
which is the
normally
thetranscribed.
repressor on.

Repressible Operons
Repressible operons are normally on (the genes are being

transcribed) but they can be repressed.

Example: trp operon (codes for proteins that make tryptophan)
Tryptophan absent:
Repressor is inactive, operon is on. The genes are
expressed.
Tryptophan present:
Tryptophan binds to tryptophan repressor, this activates
the tryptophan repressor.
Tryptophan repressor binds to the operon, the genes are
not expressed.

Inducible Operons
Inducible operons are normally off (genes are not being

transcribed), but they can be activated if the repressor is

inactivated.
Example: lac operon (codes for proteins that digest lactose)
Lactose absent:
Repressor is active, so it can bind to the operator and the
operon is off.
Lactose present:
Allolactose binds to the repressor, inactivating it, and the
repressor is turned off, so it can no longer bind to the
operator. So, the operon is on.

Positive gene regulation amping it up

Lactose-utilizing enzymes are normally only made in very

small amounts.
If there is a low supply of simple sugar (glucose) and there is
lactose present in a cell, the cell NEEDS to make the
enzymes to break down that sugar.
Cells prefer to use glucose, but if theres little glucose and
lactose is available, it will begin to break down the lactose.

Positive gene regulation amping it up

How does the cell sense that there is a low glucose

concentration and, in turn, amp up the synthesis of the

lactose enzymes?
Cyclic AMP (cAMP) accumulates when glucose is scarce.
cAMP activates CAP (catabolite activator protein), which
then binds to the lac promoter, facilitating the binding of the
RNA polymerase, stimulating gene expression.

Positive gene regulation amping it up

Knowing when to amp up production of lactose enzymes
Lactose present, glucose scarce (cAMP high) = high levels made
Lactose present, glucose present (cAMP low) = low levels made

Student Goals
Compare gene expression in prokaryotes and

eukaryotes (well get to eukaryotes later)

Diagram inducible and repressible operons. Give
examples of each.