Genetics Quiz #52: Knockout Mice
The National Institutes of Health launched the Knockout Mouse Project last week to “build a comprehensive and publicly available resource of knockout mutations in the mouse genome” (EurekAlert, September 7, 2006).
This week’s genetics quiz question:
What are knockout mice?
Answer:
The mouse genome has approximately 20,000 genes. Each line of knockout mouse has a specific gene that has been manipulated so that its function can be studied. The term “knockout” refers to disrupting the mouse’s native gene to either stop its expression or replace it with another gene variant; human genes can be inserted into the mouse genome as well.
From the Human Genome Project Information:
Knockout mice have many benefits. They not only allow researchers to determine gene function and understand diseases at the molecular level, but they also aid scientists in testing new drugs and devising novel therapies.
See also Genetics Quiz #38 Creating Knockout Mice
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