Lac Operon

Definition

The lac operon is a set of genes in bacteria that are responsible for the breakdown of lactose into glucose and galactose. It consists of three parts: the promoter, operator, and structural genes.

Related terms

Promoter:

A region of DNA where RNA polymerase binds to initiate transcription.

Operator: A segment of DNA to which a repressor binds. It acts as an 'on-off' switch for gene control.

Structural Genes: These are genes that code for proteins needed in metabolic pathways.