Regulation of Gene Expressions Life Sciences Essay (Essay Sample)

Scenario: Your student asks you, “If every cell in my body has the same DNA, how are they specialized? Is my pancreas cell making insulin all the time? Why isn’t my liver cell also making insulin?”
Your task is to address your student’s questions by starting with a well-studied example of gene expression in bacteria. You will then provide examples to demonstrate the regulation of gene expression in humans.
Rubric:
A. Create an original visual aid or series of visual aids (e.g., diagrams, models) that compares how the lac operon is regulated when only glucose is present versus when only lactose is present.
1. Illustrate the following in the visual aid(s):
• the structural components of the operon: lacZ, lacY, lacA, lacI, operator, and RNA polymerase
• the level of expression of this operon in the presence of only glucose compared to the presence of only lactose
• one factor that activates expression of this operon
• one factor that represses expression of this operon
2. Explain why expression of the lac operon is different when only glucose is present versus when only lactose is present.
B. Describe two mechanisms, other than mutation, that human cells use to regulate the expression of a gene.
C. Discuss two examples of a particular gene being regulated appropriately in a human cell.
Note: Because insulin is in the scenario, it cannot be used as one of your examples for part C.
D. Acknowledge sources, using in-text citations and references, for content that is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.
E. Demonstrate professional communication in the content and presentation of your submission.