Exons are the segments of DNA and RNA that contain information coding for a protein or peptide sequence. Cistron is the DNA segment that codes for a specific polypeptide in protein synthesis. Let us have a detailed overview of the difference between exon and cistron.
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Exon vs Cistron
Following are the important difference between exon and cistron:
| Exon | Cistron |
| These are the coding regions of DNA, i.e., an exon has several cistrons. | It is the DNA segment that directs the synthesis of a peptide sequence. |
| These appear in mature or processed RNA. | It is an alternative term for gene. |
| It was discovered by Richard Roberts. | Cistron was discovered by Seymour Benzer. |
What is an Exon?
Exon is a segment of DNA that contains information coding for a protein. That can either be together or separated by introns. These introns are non-coding sequences that are removed to make a functional mRNA molecule. This functional mRNA molecule is then translated into protein.
What is Cistron?
Cistron is the alternative term for gene. It is the DNA segment that codes for a polypeptide during protein synthesis. A DNA segment with one cistron is called monocistronic, whereas, a DNA segment with more than one cistron is called polycistronic.
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