Imagine that you've isolated a yeast mutant that contains histones resistant to acetylation. What phenotype do you predict for this mutant?
A) The mutant will grow rapidly.
B) The mutant will require galactose for growth.
C) The mutant will show low levels of gene expression.
D) The mutant will show high levels of gene expression.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Histone acetylation is a post-translational modification that is important for gene expression. Histone acetylation loosens the chromatin structure, making it easier for transcription factors to access the DNA and activate gene expression. If histones are resistant to acetylation, it will be harder for transcription factors to access the DNA, resulting in low levels of gene expression. Therefore, the best choice is C. Choices A and B are unlikely to be affected by histone acetylation, and choice D is unlikely since high levels of gene expression would typically require histone acetylation.

Imagine That You've Isolated a Yeast Mutant That Contains Histones