Question

Which of the following elements would your plasmid require to be replicated in E. coli? Check all that apply:
A) Strong constitutive E. coli promoter
B) Strong inducible E. coli promoter
C) A human origin of replication
D) E. coli origin of replication

Answer 1

D) An E. coli origin of replication.

The origin of replication is where the DNA Polymerase of E. coli is going to bind and start the process of DNA replication.

If you're curious about the other answers:

A is false because because a constituative E. coli promotor is referring to transcription of DNA to RNA. A constituative promotor would be a region of DNA that always allows RNA polymerase to bind.

B is false because again, this is referring to transcription of DNA into RNA. An inducible promotor means there's something blocking the DNA sequence RNA polymerase would need to bind to in order to initiate transcription and transcription won't occur until the promotor is induced by some mechanism. For example, E. coli won't transcribe genes to metabolize some carbon sources unless it's already around in its environment and has transcriptional repressors that sit on promotor region to prevent unnecessary transcription. Once the carbon source is present, it binds to this repressor protein and exposes the promotor region, which allows transcription.

C is false because humans don't have plasmids.

Answer 2

Thank you!!!!