What is the Difference Between Inducible and Constitutive Promoter?

The main difference between inducible and constitutive promoters lies in their regulation and activity. Here is a comparison of the two types of promoters:

Inducible Promoter:

• Regulated promoter that initiates transcription only when it receives a stimulus.
• Activated by various stimuli, such as chemical agents, temperature, mechanical injury, and light.
• Examples include promoters activated by heat shock, chemical compounds, or specific hormones.
• Used for dynamic studies of gene expression in vivo, timed expression of tagged protein fusions, and depletion assays.

Constitutive Promoter:

• Unregulated promoter that continuously carries transcription in the desired gene.
• Active under all circumstances and does not need specific stimuli.
• Continuous transcription process within the target gene, not affected by transcription factors.
• Wide range of applications, from expressing selective marker genes to consistent overexpression of proteins.

In summary, inducible promoters are regulated and initiate transcription only in response to specific stimuli, while constitutive promoters are unregulated and continuously transcribe the associated genes regardless of the prevailing circumstances.

Comparative Table: Inducible vs Constitutive Promoter

Inducible and constitutive promoters are two different types of promoters that regulate the transcription of genes. Here is a table comparing their characteristics:

Inducible promoters are useful for studying gene expression in vivo, timed expression of tagged protein fusions, and depletion assays. Constitutive promoters, on the other hand, are used for the expression of transgenes and have a wide range of applications, from expressing selective marker genes to consistent overexpression of proteins.