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Introduction to Gene Regulation in Bacteria

• Learning Outcomes:

  1. Describe the function of activators and repressors.

  2. Explain the effect of small effector molecules on activators and repressors.

  3. Describe the organization of the lac operon.

  4. Explain the regulation of the lac operon by the lac repressor and the catabolite activator protein (CAP).

  5. Analyze the Jacob, Monod, and Pardee results that indicated the lacI gene codes for a diffusible repressor protein.

  6. Describe the organization of the trp operon.

  7. Explain the regulation of the trp operon by the trp repressor and by attenuation.

  8. Explain how translational regulatory proteins and antisense RNAs regulate translation.

  9. Summarize the roles of feedback inhibition and posttranslational modifications in regulating protein function.

  10. The majority of gene regulation in bacteria occurs at the transcriptional level.

  11. Additional regulation occurs during initiation, elongation, and termination of translation.

  12. Posttranslational regulation refers to the functional control of proteins already present in the cell, regulating the activity rather than the quantity of the protein.

  13. Explain riboswitches and their ability to regulate transcription and translation.

  14. Riboswitches can influence transcription, translation, and RNA stability.

  15. Discovered in 2001-2002, a riboswitch functions based on the conversion of an RNA molecule between conformations due to small molecule binding.

  16. Riboswitches are common in bacteria and also found in archaea, algae, fungi, and plants.