Mutant isolation and gene transfer as tools in study of transport proteins

Somatic cell and molecular genetic concepts, techniques, and approaches relevant to the analysis of a complex mechanism such as a mammalian ion transport system are reviewed and illustrated with examples taken from studies of K+ transport mutants. The reasons for undertaking a study of mutants and mutations are stated and followed by directly applicable approaches to transport mutant isolation. Examples of the types of information that can be extracted from a characterization of such mutants is then presented. The parasexual system of somatic cell hybridization is reviewed, again, followed by applicable approaches and examples of how data from such studies can be used. Finally, the technique of DNA-mediated gene transfer is presented as a method that allows the actual isolation of a transporter gene which has been characterized as above.