Signature-tagged mutagenesis

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) is a genetic approach used to study gene function. This technique was developed to identify novel bacterial virulence factors.

Technique[edit | edit source]

It is a negative selection method in which unique identification tags that allow analysis of pools of mutants in mixed populations.

Understanding the function[edit | edit source]

Recent advances in genome sequencing have allowed us to catalogue a large variety of organisms' genomes, but the function of the genes they contain is still largely unknown. Using STM, the function of the product of a particular gene can be inferred by disabling it and observing the effect on the organism.

Uses[edit | edit source]

The most important use of STM is to discover which genes in a pathogen are involved in virulence in its host, to aid the development of new medical therapies/drugs.

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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD