operon

American  

[op-uh-ron] / ˈɒp əˌrɒn /

noun

Genetics.

1. a set of two or more adjacent cistrons whose transcription is under the coordinated control of a promoter, an operator, and a regulator gene.

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operon British  

/ ˈɒpəˌrɒn /

noun

1. genetics a group of adjacent genes in bacteria functioning as a unit, consisting of structural genes and an operator

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operon Scientific  

/ ŏp′ə-rŏn′ /

1. A sequence of genetic material that functions in a coordinated manner, consisting of an operator, a promoter, and one or more structural genes that are transcribed together. Operons were first found in prokaryotes.

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Etymology

Origin of operon

1960–65; < French opéron, equivalent to opér ( er ) to work, operate + -on -on ¹

Example Sentences

In most bacteria, the instructions for this process are organized within a group of genes known as the dcw operon.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026

These techniques allowed the scientists to determine how the MraZ transcription factor attaches to the promoter of the dcw operon in the bacterium Mycoplasma genitalium.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026

One of these transcription factors is MraZ, which is also the first gene within the dcw operon in all bacteria.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026

Which of the following statements describes prokaryotic transcription of the lac operon?

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Pardee, Jacob, and Monod published their monumental study on the lactose operon in 1959, six years after the Watson and Crick paper on the structure of DNA.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee