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

See Examples For:

operon

When MraZ activates the operon, the genes within the cluster produce the proteins required for bacteria to divide.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 14, 2026

In this way, MraZ acts as the key regulator controlling the activity of the operon that governs cell division in most bacterial species.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 14, 2026

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

If tryptophan is present in the environment, then E. coli does not need to synthesize it and the switch controlling the activation of the genes in the trp operon is switched off.

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