Which of the following best describes the biological role of the lac operon? View Available Hint(s) Which of the following best describes the biological role of the lac operon? It ensures that bacterial cells produce lactose only when no other food sources are available. It ensures that a cell dedicates resources to the production of enzymes involved in lactose metabolism only when lactose is available in the environment. It ensures that a cell produces enzymes involved in lactose metabolism in a constitutive manner. It prevents other sugars from being metabolized until all available lactose has been used.

It ensures that a cell dedicates resources to the production of enzymes involved in lactose metabolism only when lactose is available in the environment

Explanation:

Lac operon is also referred to as Lactose operon.This operon helps in the transport and metabolism of lactose of many enteric bacteria.

It ensures that a cell dedicates resources to the production of enzymes involved in lactose metabolism only when lactose is available in the environment

Due to the fact that it would be a total waste to produce enzymes when no lactose is available or if another preferable energy source such as glucose were available. The lac operon uses a two-part control mechanism to ensure that the cell uses energy producing the enzymes encoded by the lac operon only when necessary to avoid wastage and abnormalities.