To find the gene that encodes for the blue-light receptor, researchers inserted the gene for the PHOT1 protein into insect cells growing in culture. When they exposed the transgenic cells to blue light, they found that the PHOT1 protein became phosphorylated. No other plant proteins were present in the insect cells. Which of the following is a reasonable conclusion from this result? The PHOT1 protein ________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that the PHOT1 protein became phosphorylated in response to blue light indicates that it can directly sense and respond to blue light. This suggests that option B is the best choice, indicating that the protein phosphorylates itself in the presence of blue light. Additionally, we can eliminate options A, C, D, and E based on the information provided in the passage, which tells us that no other plant proteins were present in the insect cells and that there is no information to suggest that the PHOT1 protein would enable insect cells to photosynthesize or be photoreversible.

To Find the Gene That Encodes for the Blue-Light Receptor