Molecular Genetics - Reverse Genetics

Reverse Genetics

While forward genetic screens are productive, a more straightforward approach is to simply determine the phenotype that results from mutating a given gene. This is called reverse genetics. In some organisms, such as yeast and mice, it is possible to induce the deletion of a particular gene, creating what's known as a gene "knockout" - the laboratory origin of so-called "knockout mice" for further study. In other words this process involves the creation of transgenic organisms that do not express a gene of interest. Alternative methods of reverse genetic research include the random induction of DNA deletions and subsequent selection for deletions in a gene of interest, as well as the application of RNA interference.