Final answer:
An operon is a stretch of DNA consisting of an operator, a promoter, and genes for a related set of proteins. The operator is a specific nucleotide sequence in DNA that binds RNA polymerase. A repressor is a protein that binds to the operator to inhibit gene transcription.
Step-by-step explanation:
An operon is a stretch of DNA consisting of an operator, a promoter, and genes for a related set of proteins. The operator is a specific nucleotide sequence in DNA that binds RNA polymerase, positioning it to start transcribing RNA.
A repressor is a protein that binds to the operator to inhibit gene transcription. The operon can be switched on by an inducer, a small molecule that binds to a bacterial regulatory protein and prevents it from binding to the operator.