This document provides an overview of gene regulation in prokaryotes using the lac operon in E. coli as an example. It explains that genes are regulated to control which proteins are expressed at different times. The lac operon consists of structural genes that encode enzymes for lactose metabolism, as well as a regulatory gene that produces a repressor protein. In the absence of the lactose inducer, the repressor binds to the operator region and prevents transcription. When lactose is present, it binds to the repressor and causes a conformational change that prevents it from binding to the operator, allowing transcription.