TRP OPERON
WHAT IS AN OPERON?
An operon is the structure of a cluster of genes in
the genome of an organism.
The operons are comprised of many genes which
encode for different proteins or products.
When a cluster of genes that are transcribed
together to give a single messenger RNA (mRNA)
molecule, it therefore encodes multiple proteins.
Example of operon is Lac operon and Trp operon.
ABOUT TRP OPERON
The Trp operon, found in E. coli bacteria, is a group of
genes that encode biosynthetic enzymes for the
amino acid tryptophan.
The Trp operon is expressed (turned "on") when
tryptophan levels are low and repressed (turned
"off") when they are high.
The trp operon is regulated by the trp repressor.
When bound to tryptophan, the trp repressor blocks
expression of the operon.
Tryptophan biosynthesis is also regulated
by attenuation.
Bacteria such as Escherichia coli need amino
acids to survive—because, like us, they need
to build proteins. One of the amino acids they
need is tryptophan.
If tryptophan is available in the
environment, E. coli will take it up and use it
to build proteins. However, E. coli can also
make their own tryptophan using enzymes
that are encoded by five genes. These five
genes are located next to each other in what
is called the Trp operon.
STRUCTURE OF TRP OPERON
The trp operon includes five genes that
encode enzymes needed for tryptophan
biosynthesis, along with a promoter and
an operator .
The genes of the trp operon are transcribed
as a single mRNA.
Trp A, B, C, D and E are structural genes of the trp
operon. The structural genes encoding for the
enzymes and their subunits are necessary for
tryptophan biosynthesis from chorismic acid.
trpE encodes the enzyme Anthranilate synthase I.
trpD encodes the enzyme Anthranilate synthase II.
trpC encodes the enzyme N-5’-Phosphoribosyl
anthranilate isomerase and Indole-3-
glycerolphosphate synthase.
trpB encodes the enzyme tryptophan synthase-B
subunit.
trpA encodes the enzyme tryptophan synthase-A
subunit.
REGULATION OF TRP OPERON
Two mechanisms regulate the trp operon.
1. Repression or derepression mechanism
2. Attenuation mechanism
REPRESSOR MECHANISM/DEREPRESSOR
MECHANISM
RERPRESSION occurs when the trp level is high in
the surrounding medium.
In this case, the TrpR gene of the tryptophan operon
releases apo-repressor protein that alone cannot
attach to the operator region.
In the presence of a corepressor or tryptophan, the
apo-repressor protein activates and blocks the RNA
polymerase.
DEREPRESSION occurs in the case
of low tryptophan levels in the environment.
Due to the lack of sufficient effector molecules,
the active repressor protein attached to the
operator region will detach.
After its dissociation, the repressor
remains inactive and functionless.
As a result, RNA polymerase becomes free to
transcribe structural genes further to produce
tryptophan.
ATTENUATION
Once the bacterial DNA is transcribed into mRNA,
the attenuator sequence can form dimers due to
the pairing of palindromic sequences.
There are four domains in the leader sequence, in
which domain-3 can pair with either domain-2 or
domain-4, and domain-1 can pair with domain-2.
Besides, it comprises two trp residues:
At low tryptophan level
The ribosome sits at domain-1 of the mRNA
transcript. Then, it translates the mRNA very
Slowly due to the low tryptophan level. As a
result, domain-3 interacts with domain-2 due
to the halt of the ribosome at domain-1. In
such a case, the stem and loop structure will
not form. As a result, the transcription may
continue to synthesize enzymes necessary for
trp production.
At high tryptophan level
The ribosome rapidly translates the domain-1 and
sits at the domain-2 when the concentration of
tryptophan is high inside the cell. As a result,
domain-3 associates with domain-4 and aids in
forming a hair-loop structure.
CONCLUSION
Therefore, we can conclude that the
tryptophan repressor and attenuation
system decides when to switch on or
switch off the expression of genes
synthesizing trp, according to
the availability of tryptophan.
