AP Success - AP Biology Conceptual Analysis: Energetics - Cell Structure

Researchers are studying a strain of yeast cells that have been genetically modified to produce a large amount of insulin, a hormone that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. Insulin is often used in the treatment of diabetes, a disease characterized by high blood glucose levels.

Describe the role of the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus in insulin production and processing in a typical yeast cell.

The genetically modified yeast cells have been found to have an enlarged endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. Explain how this adaptation might enhance their insulin production.

Predict the likely impact on the yeast cells and their insulin production if the gene for insulin were to stop functioning due to an insertion mutation in a promoter region.

Researchers claim that the genetically modified yeast cells could be used to produce large amounts of other proteins for use in pharmaceuticals. Provide reasoning to justify this claim, considering the specific case of insulin production.