A population of sea lion has been found in polluted waters in the Atlantic Ocean
ID: 280182 • Letter: A
Question
A population of sea lion has been found in polluted waters in the Atlantic Ocean. The sea lions, especially the pups, are weak, emaciated, lethargic, and have very little energy.
Usually, normal sea lions have gut flora in the intestines consisting of populations of bacteria, including E. coli, which help digestion and break down food into energy. Gut flora is very important to for sea lion health. The scientist teams finds chemicals in the water, which cause mutations impacting the lac operon of E. coli the in the gut flora of the sea lions, affecting the lac operon’s ability to function normally.
Use the figure below depicting a wild type operon (a) and examples of mutation (b-d) to answer the following questions.
(4 pts)The scientists take samples of E. coli from the gut of affected sea lions to analyze their lac operon structures.
(2 pts) Based on your knowledge of how the lac operon works and the mutations caused by chemicals in the water, which mutation type(s) do you expect to find in the cells?
ANSWER:
(2 pts) From Part A above, explain how this type of mutation (s) in E. coli in gut flora could lead to symptoms of weakness, lethargy, and even death, that the scientists observed.
ANSWER:
(2 pts) The scientist team notices that the pups who are still nursing from their mothers are especially weak and suffer from high death rates. Following the logic of your answer to the previous question, explain why nursing pups are especially affected and weakened by the presence of the chemicals in the water.
ANSWER:
(2 pts) In the lab, the experts notice that some E. coli cells are able to normally express the lac operon, even in the presence of glucose. This leads the team to hypothesize that not all E. coli cells have the same mutation. Based on your knowledge of the mutations types, which mutation (s) do you expect to find in these particular cells?
ANSWER:
Please answer all questions and parts! Thank you!
Gene Regulation in Prokaryotes- Lac Operon ON A population of sea lion has been found in polluted waters in the Atlantic Ocean. The sea lions, especially the pups, are weak, emaciated, lethargic, and have very little energy Usually, normal sea lions have gut flora in the intestines consisting of populations of bacteria, including E. coli, which help digestion and break down food into energy. Gut flora is very important to for sea lion health. The scientist teams finds chemicals in the water, which cause mutations impacting the lac operon of E. coli the in the gut flora of the sea lions, affecting the lac operon's ability to function normally Use the figure below depicting a wild type operon (a) and examples of mutation (b-d) to answer the following questions. pressor binds opetor 1 blocis binding tothe indu 1) (4 pts)The scientists take samples of E. coli from the gut of affected sea lions to analyze their lac operon structures a. (2 pts) Based on your knowledge of how the lac operon works and the mutations caused by chemicals in the water, which mutation type(s) do you expect to find in the cells? ANSWER b. (2 pts) From Part A above, explain how this type of mutation (s) in E. coli in gut flora could lead to symptoms of weakness, lethargy, and even death, that the scientists observed. ANSWERExplanation / Answer
As the mutation caused by the chemical affects the functioning of lac operon, it points towards the super- repressor mutation shown in (d) which causes non-synthesis of the enzymes which break down lactose. The chemical must have caused mutation in the inducer binding site of the repressor protein making it unfit for binding to the inducer. As a result of which, the repressor protein continue binding with the operator thereby preventing transcription and so synthesis of the enzymes of operon.
Glucose is broken down in our body to release energy. With the help of that energy, we perform all the body functions. Sea-lion milk contain very low amount of lactose. So, E, coli presence in the gut is essential for these organisms for utmost utilisation of available lactose.. E.coli with its ability to break down lactose with a fully functional lac operon, can provide glucose to the organism. Lactose, a disaccharide breaks into glucose and galactose by enzymes of lac operon. Now, because of 'swithing off" of lac operon by super repressor mutation, available lactose can not be broken down. Because of lack of energy, the symptoms of weakness, lethargy and death is observed.
In wild type E.coli (a), lac operon is "swithed off" because of binding of repressor protein to the operator. This happens when glucose is present. Mutation in either the operator (b, operator constitutive mutation) or the repressor (c, repressor mutation) make the operon non-functional. In these mutant cells, the repressor will not be able to bind to the operator even if glucose is present.
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