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Classical mutagenesis techniques

2002; Academic Press; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0076-6879(02)50963-0

1557-7988

Christopher W. Lawrence,

DNA Repair Mechanisms

Generating mutants, to identify new genes and to study their properties, is the starting point for much of molecular biology. Forward mutations and metabolic suppressors obtained by reversion can provide powerful insights into the functions and relationships of normal gene products. Similarly, mutations and intragenic revertants provide the raw material for the analysis of gene product structure-function relationships. Site-specific mutagenesis and other methods based on recombinant DNA techniques are increasingly used for these purposes, and they are clearly the methods of choice where particular changes in specified genes or genetic sites are needed. Nevertheless, classical methods, in which cells are treated with mutagens, are likely to remain the chief means for inducing mutations in many circumstances because they require no prior knowledge of gene or product and are generally applicable: the user need to only specify an appropriate alteration in phenotype. However, unless selection for the desired strain is possible, hunting for mutants can be extremely laborious and analyzing the material obtained even more so.