Fig. 5A: An Inducible Operon in the Presence of an Inducer
(The Escherichia coli Lactose Operon)

Step 1: The Regulator gene codes for an active repressor protein.
Step 2: Allolactose (consisting of glucose and galactose), a metebolite of the inducer molecule lactose, binds to the active repressor protein.
Step 3: The binding of the inducer alters the shape of the repressor protein making it inactive.
Step 4: The inactive repressor protein is no longer able to bind to the Operator region of the lac operon.

Illustration of An Inducible Operon in the Presence of an Inducer (The Escherichia coli Lactose Operon).jpg by Gary E. Kaiser, Ph.D.
Professor of Microbiology, The Community College of Baltimore County, Catonsville Campus
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://cwoer.ccbcmd.edu/science/microbiology/index_gos.html.

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Last updated: September, 2018
Please send comments and inquiries to Dr. Gary Kaiser