View source for Operon

&nbsp;Commonly known to exist in the [[Genome|genomes]] of [[Prokaryotes|prokaryotes]] since the 1940s, an operon is a unit of [[DNA|DNA]], comprised of a number of clustered [[Gene|genes]] that are often related by function<ref>Encyclopedia Britannica, Operon. Available at: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/429974/operon</ref>. The [[Gene|genes]] in operons are [[Transcription|transcribed]] together by a single [[Promoter|promoter]]&nbsp;into the same [[MRNA|mRNA]] strand, before they are [[Translation|translated]] into separate [[Protein|proteins]][[Promoter|<ref>Sadava, David et al. (2009). Life: The Science of Biology (9th ed.). Macmillan. p. 349. ISBN 9781429219624.</ref>]], allowing co-ordination of [[Protein synthesis|protein synthesis]] in response to environmental factors, thereby conserving the [[Prokaryotes|cells]] energy<ref>↑ Encyclopedia Britannica, Operon. Available at: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/429974/operon</ref>. [[Gene|Genes]] in an operon are thus either [[Transcription|transcribed]] together or not at all, such as the&nbsp;[[Lac operon|lac operon]] in E. coli that is used to [[Hydrolysis|hydrolyse]] [[Lactose|lactose]] into [[Glucose|glucose]] and&nbsp;[[Galactose|galactose]]. 

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