The lactose operon in E. coli is an example of a gene that is repressed when lactose is not available in a cell. Explain what this means using correct terminology in 3 to 5 sentences.
The lactose operon in E. coli consists of a group of genes that are involved in the metabolism of lactose. The operon is regulated by a repressor protein called LacI. In the absence of lactose, the LacI protein binds to a specific region of the operon known as the operator, preventing the expression of the genes. This is known as repression. When lactose is available in the cell, it binds to the LacI protein, causing a conformational change and release from the operator, allowing the genes of the operon to be transcribed and lactose to be metabolized.
