Question

9. Eukaryotic genes can be introduced into bacteria by recombinant DNA techniques. If the introduced gene encodes a protein that is also found in bacteria—for example, a universally used glycolysis enzyme—then, expression of the eukaryotic gene may produce a protein that functions in the bacterial cell. The mouse gene for a glycolysis enzyme is introduced into an E. coli cell that has a mutant gene for the bacterial version of the same enzyme. Even though the mouse enzyme should function in the bacterial cell and restore the cell’s ability to perform glycolysis, it does not. Provide two possible reasons why this experiment does not work and propose a solution to overcome one of the problems you suggest.

Answer 1

The genes of eukaryotic is inserted in the bacteria. The following are the reasons for non functioning of eukaryotic gene in bacteria:

* The bacteria and eukaryotes are differ in their compartment and organelles. The bacteria don't have endoplasmic reticulum, golgi body, vesicle and the lysosome etc. The protein is undergoing the post translational modification in endoplasmic reticulum and golgi body for attaining the function in eukaryotes. The bacteria don't have such organelle. That's why there is not found functional protein in bacteria.

* The bacteria and eukaryotes does not have same transcription process. The eukaryotic premRNA undergoes the splicing process. But it is not found in prokaryotes. That's why introns are found in the mRNA of prokaryotes. Hence there is not found functional protein because of absence of splicing process in prokaryotes.