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Published on: February 8, 2012
EMS screens : from mutagenesis to screening and mapping.
1BIOTEC, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|July 22, 2008
Summary
Ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) is a standard mutagen for Drosophila, enabling efficient genetic screens. This chapter details EMS protocols and mapping techniques, facilitating diverse mutation generation for genetic research.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Drosophila melanogaster is a premier genetic model organism.
- Efficient generation and identification of mutations are crucial for genetic studies.
- Ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) is a widely used chemical mutagen for inducing DNA lesions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a basic EMS mutagenesis protocol for Drosophila.
- To present fly crossing schemes for various genetic screens.
- To discuss genome sequence-based approaches for mapping EMS-induced mutations.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) for mutagenesis.
- Employing classic and alternative forward genetic screening schemes.
- Applying genome sequence-based methods for molecular mapping.
Main Results:
- EMS provides wide and unbiased genome coverage.
- High mutation frequencies are achievable with EMS.
- EMS can generate various mutation types, including null, hypomorphic, conditional, and domain-specific mutations.
Conclusions:
- The presented EMS protocols and mapping strategies benefit researchers new to Drosophila genetics.
- EMS mutagenesis offers a versatile and effective method for generating diverse mutations.
- Advanced mapping techniques simplify the analysis of EMS-induced point mutations.
Related Concept Videos
02:46Genetic Screens
Genetic screens are tools used to identify genes and mutations responsible for phenotypes of interest. Genetic screens help identify individuals or a group of people at risk of developing genetic diseases and help them with early intervention, targeted therapy, and reproductive options.
Forward genetic screens
Forward or “classical” genetic screens involve creating random mutations in an organism’s DNA using radiation, mutagens, or insertion of additional bases, which result in visible changes...
Forward genetic screens
Forward or “classical” genetic screens involve creating random mutations in an organism’s DNA using radiation, mutagens, or insertion of additional bases, which result in visible changes...
01:16In-vitro Mutagenesis
To learn more about the function of a gene, researchers can observe what happens when the gene is inactivated or “knocked out,” by creating genetically engineered knockout animals. Knockout mice have been particularly useful as models for human diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and diabetes.