iGenetics 3rd Edition by Peter Russell

Exercise 7

Elucidation of the regulatory mechanisms associated with the enzymes of lactose utilization in E. coli was a landmark in our understanding of regulatory processes in microorganisms. In formulating the operon hypothesis as applied to the lactose system, Jacob and Monod found that results from particular partial diploid strains were invaluable. In terms of their operon hypothesis, what specific information did analyses of partial diploids provide that analyses of haploids could not?