Question

What is the function of the green object in this representation of the lac operon?
It helps regulate the production of lactase enzymes, which break down lactose in the environment.

It serves as a repressor to prevent the production of lactase enzymes, which break down lactose in the environment.

It bonds to lactose in order to permit lactase enzymes to be produced, which break down lactose in the environment.

All of the above are correct.

Answer 1

do you know what other figures are representing?

Answer 2

I honestly have no idea. My book and lesson barely has information of this. Is the yellow the RNA polymerase? Could the red and orange represent the promoter and operator? And would the white represent the lactose? @Somy

Answer 3

So the green thing is the repressor.

Answer 4

So the first part of the picture was when it was "switched off." And the second was when it was "switched on"

Answer 5

wait a second let me check something

Answer 6

So would it be "It serves as a repressor to prevent the production of lactase enzymes, which break down lactose in the environment."

Answer 7

Okay!

Answer 8

not to confuse u ill start off anew
operon can be of two types
inducible and
repressible

Answer 9

i would like to show you a good animation on this so ill try to give you access to mine

Answer 10

?

Answer 11

okay so i cant seem to do that so watch this on your exact topic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3kACgQXMbY

Answer 12

the pictures i showed u were about repressible operons
now your case is the opposite

Answer 13

Ohhhh

Answer 14

does it make sense? the video, i wouldnt want to confuse you so ask me if its not clear

Answer 15

I'm kinda confused.

Answer 16

alright ill make it easy for you

Answer 17

first of all, the gene that codes for enzyme that breaks down lactose has to be regulated
meaning, it has to be active ONLY when needed = only if lactose is present
now to prevent given gene from being transcribed we need a repressor
that repressor is just as u said, the green thing
so when repressor is active, it lets say sits on promotor site of the gene so physically prevents that gene from being transcribed

not to 'deactivate' the repressor, we need lactose itself to bind into it
as it binds, the repressor+lactose complex gets detached from the operator region of the gene and thereby is deactivated
so now we can transcribe the gene coding for enzyme that would break down lactose

Answer 18

does it make sense?

Answer 19

Yes, kind of.

Answer 20

So would it be kind of controlling the production of lactose?

Answer 21

so in conclusion that repressor
Regulates production of Lactase enzyme by:
Preventing production of enzyme when not needed
Letting production of enzyme when bound to lactose = this helps to make sure that we indeed need lactase enzyme because we DO have lactose in the environment

Answer 22

So it'll be all the above wouldn't it?

Answer 23

Cause it produces it, but then it prevents it from producing?

Answer 24

bingo

Answer 25

and it regulates the production.

Answer 26

Thanks so much!

Answer 27

not produces* it LETS/Permits the production

Answer 28

no problem :)

Answer 29

ahh, it permits the production. I get it now!

Answer 30

yep so basically saying its like a stone on your way
if the thing that needs the gene, which is lactose in this case, is there, then it takes this stone away so that RNA polymerase can transcribe that gene
if it is not there this stone will just stay on the way of RNA polymerase and not let it transcribe the lactase enzyme gene

Answer 31

I get it now. Thanks, you explained it very well.

Answer 32

good to know and no problem :)