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firefighter90 firefighter90
wrote...
Posts: 19
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11 years ago
"Pyruvate dehydrogenase is responsible for catalyzing reactions in the cytoplasm. The complex is made of multiple copies of three different polypeptides."

How do I know the minimum number of genes for this complex? Is it 3 because there are three types of polypeptides?
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wrote...
11 years ago
Yes, you're right. There would be at least three genes; one encoding each of the polypeptides.
wrote...
11 years ago
Your inference is most likely correct, in that there would be 3 different genes--one for each polypeptide.

Nevertheless, research conducted in past 10-15 years or so would state otherwise.  It is now known that many genes can produce multiple different proteins, or polypeptides, through various mechanisms.

If this question is for high school coursework or very elementary college biology, then the answer would be 3.  However, if you were to submit the answer "1" in one of my classes, I would certainly give you bonus points due to the fact that the "one gene-one protein" theory no longer holds true.
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