Methods for TALEN-Mediated Genomic Manipulations in Drosophila

TALEN (transcription activator-like effector nuclease) is a powerful tool for gene disruption and other genomic modifications. In the past 3 years or so, it has attracted eyes from every corner of the biological world, due to its characteristics of simplicity, high efficiency, low toxicity, and applicability across almost all species. In our lab, we first reported the TALEN-mediated gene disruption in Drosophila, and recently employed this technique in precisely modifying the Drosophila genome, such as in vivo tagging and gene correction. Here, we describe in detail the protocols and experiences in TALEN-mediated genomic modifications to share with the Drosophilists all over the world.