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Updated: Aug 25, 2026

Functional Complementation Analysis (FCA): A Laboratory Exercise Designed and Implemented to Supplement the Teaching of Biochemical Pathways
Published on: June 24, 2016
How good are quantitative complementation tests?
1Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA. Philip.Service@nau.edu
Abstract:
Several recent studies have used quantitative complementation tests to identify relatively short chromosome regions that contain genes that influence life span and to screen for candidate life-span genes in flies. The methodology and logic of quantitative complementation tests are described. Arguments are presented that suggest that these tests may be misleading because there is a substantial, but unknown, likelihood of false positive results. The arguments are supported by the published results of quantitative complementation tests.

