In: Biology
1. Can any cellular process be governed by positive feedback?
2. If histidine is an inducer, do the enzymes who synthesize it induces participate in anabolism or catabolism? Can histidine be actually be an inducer of the his operon?
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The trp operon of E. coli codes for the enzymes that the bacterium needs to make the amino acid tryptophan. Like the lac operon, the trp operon is a negative control mechanism. The lac operon responds to an inducer that causes the repressor to dissociate from the operator, derepressing the operon. The trp operon responds to a repressor protein that binds to two molecules of tryptophan. When the tryptophan is plentiful, this repressor-tryptophan complex binds to the trp operator. This binding prevents the binding of RNA polymerase, so the operon is not transcribed (Fig. 3.20). On the other hand, when tryptophan levels are reduced, the repressor will not bind the operator, so the operon is transcribed. This is an example of a system that is repressible and under negative regulation.