knockoutmutations
A knockout mutation is a genetic alteration in which one or more genes in an organism are deliberately inactivated or "knocked out." This process is typically achieved through genetic engineering techniques, such as homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells, which allows for the precise deletion or disruption of a specific gene. The primary purpose of creating a knockout mutation is to study the function of the targeted gene. By observing the phenotypic changes that occur in an organism lacking the functional gene, researchers can infer the gene's role in biological processes.
Knockout mutations are a fundamental tool in molecular biology and genetics, widely used in model organisms