Give me TEN solid facts and interrelate them.

Some suggestions of topics. You need not use any of them. But I will be looking for
answers to questions such as those in bullets below.
What is an operon? Define it. What are defining components of an operon (sites, genes)?
Operon: contiguous structural genes under the transcriptional control of one operator site.
Defining components of an operon include promoter, structural region (genes aka
cistron), operator.

What does it do? I.e., what enzymes or other gene products does it control and what do
they do for the cell? The operon
The operon allows for transcription of genes to occur thus allowing for translation and
then synthesis of protein. A common example is the lac operon whose genes code for
transacetylase, B galactosidase and permease. Transaceeylases fuction is unknown
however b galactosidease is used by the cell and converts lactose to glucose or galactose.
Permease pumps the b Galactosidase into the cell.

Why are operons important, and what do they explain in biology?

Operons are important because they allow for a feedback mechanism to be used in the
organism (either positive or negative depending on the operon) thus saving the cell
energy.

Who won the Nobel for articulating operon theory and which operon did they use as their
model?
Jacob and Monod won the Nobel Prize for articulating operon theory and they used the
lac operon in E. coli as their model

Perhaps you can demonstrate using a model operon to illustrate your explanation. For
instance:

Diagram the Lac operon and use it to explain how it works.

The lac operon is a negative feed back operon where when the repressor binds to the
operon there is no transcription of the genes. There will only be transcription if there is a
absence of glucose and a presence of lactose, if glucose is present then glucose is used as
energy instead of lactose

Diagram the Trp operon.

What turns the Lac or Trp operon on or off? In other words, how does it work?

The lac operon will be turned off in the presence of glucose or when the repressor is
bound to the operator. The Trp operon will be turned off only when the attenuation
sequence is achieved, when sequences 1 and 2 are bound together

What positive and negative regulatory mechanisms operate?

The positive regulatory mechanisms that operate is only the catabolic repression.
Induction, co repression and attenuation are all negative control mechanisms.
What mechanisms underlie diauxic growth kinetics? Which operons use them?
- a biphasic growth pattern in which there is preferential use of
one carbon source over another when both are available in
environment
- lag occurs after preferred substrate is exhausted followed by the
resumption of growth using the second source
- catabolite repression plays a role in this pattern of growth
- lac operon

Operon: contiguous structural genes under the transcriptional control of one operator site.