A bacterial operon is responsible for the production of the biosynthetic enzymes needed to make the hypothetical amino acid tisophane (tis). The operon is regulated by a separate gene, R. The deletion of R causes the loss of enzyme synthesis. In the wild-type condition, when tis is present, no enzymes are made; in the absence of tis, the enzymes are made. Mutations in the operator gene (O⁻) result in repression regardless of the presence of tis. Is the operon under positive or negative control? Propose a model for (a) repression of the genes in the presence of tis in wild-type cells and (b) the mutations.

List possible genotypes for lac operon haploids that have the following phenotypic characteristics:

The operon genes are constitutively transcribed, but the strain is unable to grow on a lactose medium. List two possible genotypes for this phenotype.

Suppose each of the genotypes you listed in parts (a) and (b) of Problem 19 are placed in a partial diploid genotype along with a chromosome that has a fully wild-type lac operon.

Which partial diploids will be able to grow on a lactose medium?

Suppose each of the genotypes you listed in parts (a) and (b) of Problem 19 are placed in a partial diploid genotype along with a chromosome that has a fully wild-type lac operon.

Will the transcription of operon genes in each partial diploid be inducible or constitutive?

Four independent lac⁻ mutants (mutants A to D) are isolated in haploid strains of E. coli. The strains have the following phenotypic characteristics:

Mutant A is lac⁻, but transcription1 of operon genes is induced by lactose.
Mutant B is lac⁻ and has uninducible2 transcription of operon genes.
Mutant C is lac⁺ and has constitutive3 transcription of operon genes.
Mutant D is lac⁺ and has constitutive3 transcription of operon genes.

A microbiologist develops donor and recipient varieties of each mutant strain and crosses them with the results shown below. The table indicates whether inducible, constitutive, or noninducible transcription occurs, along with  and  growth habit for each partial diploid. Assume each strain has a single mutation.

Mating             Transcription and Growth
A × B                 lac⁻
A × C                 lac⁺, inducible
A × D                 lac⁺, constitutive
B × C                 lac⁺, inducible
B × D                 lac⁺, constitutive
C × D                 lac⁺, constitutive

Use this information to identify which lac operon gene is mutated in each strain.

Suppose the lac operon partial diploid cap⁻ I⁺ P⁺ O⁺ Z⁻ Y⁺/ cap⁺ I⁻ P⁺ O⁺ Z⁺ Y⁻ is grown.

Explain how genetic complementation contributes to the growth habit of this strain.

Suppose the lac operon partial diploid cap⁻ I⁺ P⁺ O⁺ Z⁻ Y⁺/ cap⁺ I⁻ P⁺ O⁺ Z⁺ Y⁻ is grown.

Is transcription of -galactosidase and permease inducible, constitutive, or noninducible?