Knockout moss

This scientific approach is called reverse genetics because the scientist wants to understand the function of a specific gene.

The targeted deletion or alteration of genes relies on the integration of a DNA strand at a specific and predictable position into the genome of the host cell.

[4] The first scientific publication in which knockout moss was used to identify the function of a hitherto-unknown gene appeared in 1998, and was authored by Ralf Reski and coworkers.

[5] Physcomitrella plants were engineered with multiple knockouts to prevent the plant-specific glycosylation of proteins, an important post-translational modification.

[6] In cooperation with the chemical company BASF, Ralf Reski and coworkers established a collection of knockout mosses to use for gene identification.

Wild-type Physcomitrella and knockout mosses: Deviating phenotypes induced in gene-disruption library transformants. Physcomitrella wild-type and transformed plants were grown on minimal Knop medium to induce differentiation and development of gametophores . For each plant, an overview (upper row; scale bar corresponds to 1 mm) and a close-up (bottom row; scale bar equals 0.5 mm) are shown. A: Haploid wild-type moss plant completely covered with leafy gametophores and close-up of wild-type leaf. B–E: Different mutants. [ 1 ]