Molecular Basis of Transient Repression of β-Galactosidase in Escherichia coli

The molecular basis of transient repression of beta-galactosidase by glucose was examined. This repression acted only at the level of transcription. Apparently, it was not mediated by the I-gene product. Analysis of single cells in a culture subjected to transient repression showed that essentially all cells initially experienced repression and later became gradually resistant to repression.