Forward Genetics

Forward genetics encompasses several means of identifying the genotype that is responsible for a phenotype. Initially, this was done by generating random mutations in an organism, often with radiation or insertional mutagenesis (ex. Sleeping Beauty), and after subsequent breeding, isolating individuals with an aberrant phenotype. Today there are many means of altering the genotype to observe the phenotype, several of which are useful in the study of functional genomics. Forward genetics can be thought of as a counter to reverse genetics, which seeks to alter genes in order to illuminate their multiple phenotypes.