In a wild-type E. coli cell, constitutive expression is typically associated with genes that are essential for basic cellular functions and are required under most conditions. Among common examples discussed in texts and reviews, several housekeeping genes are described as constitutively expressed, but the precise list can vary by strain and experimental conditions. In general, the following categories are often cited as constitutively expressed in wild-type E. coli:
- Genes for core transcription/translation machinery (e.g., ribosomal proteins and rRNA operons) that support ongoing protein synthesis.
- Genes involved in central metabolism and energy production that are needed for routine cellular maintenance.
If you have a specific set of gene options (a multiple-choice list) from a course or quiz, please share the exact gene names, and I can identify which one(s) are described as constitutively expressed in wild-type E. coli based on standard literature.
