Regulation genes are a type of gene that provides the instructions for creating proteins which help control the expression of other structural genes. They are a key part of the overall system of gene expression.

Gene expression is the process by which cells translate their genetic code into proteins. These proteins have a variety of functions such as providing structure, storing energy, providing movement, transporting other substances, catalyzing and controlling biological reactions, and protecting against disease. Depending on the type of cell and the environment, at any given time only a handful of genes are expressed in the cell. The other genes are suppressed by regulation genes.

Regulation genes were first discovered in 1961 by François Jacob and Jacques Monod in Paris. These scientists found that some of the genes in a bacterial genome were turned on or off depending on the environmental conditions. Their...