Regulation of Gene Expression

AP Biology· difficulty 2/5

P O trpE trpD trpC trpB trpA repr+trp High tryptophan binds repressor; operon OFF

How does tryptophan act as a corepressor in this system?

  • A

    Tryptophan binds the inactive repressor and converts it to an active form that binds the operator.

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  • B

    Tryptophan inactivates the operator by methylation.

  • C

    Tryptophan binds the operator directly.

  • D

    Tryptophan increases RNA polymerase processivity.

Explanation

The trp operon is repressible: tryptophan acts as a corepressor by binding the otherwise inactive repressor, enabling it to bind the operator and shut off trp biosynthesis when amino acid levels are high.

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