Housekeeping genes are typically associated with which type of gene expression?

• A. Inducible
• B. Transcribed but not translated
• C. Repressed
• D. Constitutive

Answer: (D)

Housekeeping genes encode proteins needed for basic cellular maintenance, so they’re expressed continuously at relatively constant levels across most cells and conditions. This steady, baseline activity is what constitutive expression means: genes kept on all the time to support essential functions. Inducible expression would mean turning on only in response to a signal, which isn’t typical for housekeeping genes. Being transcribed but not translated implies no protein is made, which isn’t characteristic of these essential genes. Repressed means silenced, the opposite of what housekeeping genes do. So constitutive expression is the best description.