what is an operon

An operon is a functioning unit of genomic DNA containing a cluster of genes under the control of a single promoter. It consists of adjacent structural genes that are transcribed together into a single mRNA molecule. This allows for the coordinated regulation of gene expression in prokaryotes, particularly bacteria. The operon includes regulatory elements such as the promoter, operator, and regulator gene, which control the transcription of the structural genes in response to environmental conditions. The concept of the operon was first described by French microbiologists François Jacob and Jacques Monod in their study of the lac operon in Escherichia coli