operon

noun/ˈɑpəˌrɑn/

Frequency rank: #19,659 most common English word

Meaning

A cluster of genes under the control of a single promoter that are transcribed together as a unit.

Illustration for the English word “operon”

Example sentence

The lac operon in E. coli controls the genes needed to metabolize lactose.

Synonyms & related words

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