page_title: Mutagenesis (molecular biology technique)
hierarchical_section_title: Mutagenesis (molecular biology technique)
caption_attribution_description: English: Starting gene (left) and library of variants (right). Point mutations change single nucleotides. Insertions and deletions add or remove sections of DNA. Shuffling recombines segments of two (or more) similar genes.
context_page_description: In molecular biology, mutagenesis is an important laboratory technique whereby DNA mutations are deliberately engineered to produce libraries of mutant genes, proteins, strains of bacteria, or other genetically modified organisms. The various constituents of a gene, as well as its regulatory elements and its gene products, may be mutated so that the functioning of a genetic locus, process, or product can be examined in detail. The mutation may produce mutant proteins with interesting properties or enhanced or novel functions that may be of commercial use. Mutant strains may also be produced that have practical application or allow the molecular basis of a particular cell function to be investigated.
  Many methods of mutagenesis exist today. Initially, the kind of mutations artificially induced in the laboratory were entirely random; however, with the development of site-directed mutagenesis, more specific changes can be made. Since 2013, development of the CRISPR/Cas9 technology, based on a prokaryotic viral defense system, has allowed for the editing or mutagenesis of a genome in vivo. Site directed mutagenesis has proved useful in situations that random mutagenesis is not.
context_section_description: In molecular biology, mutagenesis is an important laboratory technique whereby DNA mutations are deliberately engineered to produce libraries of mutant genes, proteins, strains of bacteria, or other genetically modified organisms. The various constituents of a gene, as well as its regulatory elements and its gene products, may be mutated so that the functioning of a genetic locus, process, or product can be examined in detail. The mutation may produce mutant proteins with interesting properties or enhanced or novel functions that may be of commercial use. Mutant strains may also be produced that have practical application or allow the molecular basis of a particular cell function to be investigated.
  Many methods of mutagenesis exist today. Initially, the kind of mutations artificially induced in the laboratory were entirely random; however, with the development of site-directed mutagenesis, more specific changes can be made. Since 2013, development of the CRISPR/Cas9 technology, based on a prokaryotic viral defense system, has allowed for the editing or mutagenesis of a genome in vivo. Site directed mutagenesis has proved useful in situations that random mutagenesis is not. Random mechanisms such as UV can not target specific regions or sequences of the genome like combinatorial or insertional mutagenesis is capable of. There are many techniques and outcomes of site directed mutagenesis however two large mechanisms are combinatorial and insertional mutagenesis. Mutagenesis that is not random has allowed researchers to clone DNA, find the effects of certain mutagens, engineer proteins, help immunocompromised patients, research HIV, fight cancers such as leukemia, and cure  beta-thalassemia.
caption: Types of mutations that can be introduced by random, site-directed, combinatorial, or insertional mutagenesis.
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