The colonies of recombinant bacteria appear white in contrast to blue colonies of non-recombinant bacteria…

The colonies of recombinant bacteria appear white in contrast to blue colonies of non-recombinant bacteria because of
  1. Non-recombinant bacteria containing $\beta$-galactosidase
  2. Insertional inactivation of $\alpha$-galactosidase in non-recombinant bacteria
  3. Insertional inactivation of $\alpha$-galactosidase in recombinant bacteria
  4. Inactivation of glycosidase enzyme in recombinant bacteria

Solution

The colonies of recombinant bacteria appear white in contrast to blue calories of non-recombinant bacteria because of insertional inactivation of alpha galactosidase in recombinant bacteria. Alpha galactosidase is a glycoside hydrolase enzyme that hydrolyse the terminal alpha galactosyl moieties from glycolipids and glycoprotein. It is encoded by the GLA gene. $\beta$-galactosidase is an exaglycosidase, which hydrolyzes the $\beta$-glycosidic bond formed between a galactose and its organic rhoiety.

Asked in: NEET 2013 (All India)

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