Catabolic Activator Protein (CAP)

Definition

CAP is a regulatory protein that helps increase the rate of transcription when glucose levels are low. It does this by binding to CAP-binding sites near promoters on DNA strands.

Related terms

Catabolite Repression: This is a system where the presence of one nutrient (like glucose) represses the metabolism of other nutrients.

Positive Gene Regulation:

This refers to regulatory mechanisms that increase or speed up gene expression.

Allosteric Regulation:

A process altering an enzyme's activity by binding a molecule at a site other than the active site.