Concept
Constitutive genes
Genes that are expressed constantly, independent of environmental conditions.
They are genes that are transcribed continuously, unlike regulated genes that are switched on or off in response to environmental or developmental signals.
They usually encode products indispensable for the basic functioning of the cell, such as components of the translation machinery, so their constant expression guarantees cell viability under any condition.
The video gives as an example the 16S ribosomal RNA gene in Escherichia coli, which stays switched on regardless of glucose, lactose, cold, or heat, because without ribosomes there is no translation and without translation there are no proteins.
Relations
- Constitutive genes → always produce → Ribosome
Evidence
Sources · original ES transcript
- The Rule Behind All Life | The Central Dogma12:51
Escherichia coli nunca deja de fabricar ribosomas, no importa si hay glucosa, lactosa, frío o calor.
- The Rule Behind All Life | The Central Dogma12:51
- Escherichia coli → keeps switched on → Constitutive genes
Evidence
Sources · original ES transcript
- The Rule Behind All Life | The Central Dogma12:58
El gen del ARN ribosomal 16S está siempre encendido.
- The Rule Behind All Life | The Central Dogma12:58
Sources · original ES transcript
- The Rule Behind All Life | The Central Dogma12:46
Estos genes los conocemos como genes constitutivos. Escherichia coli nunca deja de fabricar ribosomas, no importa si hay glucosa, lactosa, frío o calor.
- The Rule Behind All Life | The Central Dogma12:58
El gen del ARN ribosomal 16S está siempre encendido. Porque sin ribosomas no hay traducción, y sin traducción no hay proteínas.