knockout mossとは 意味・読み方・使い方

A knockout moss is a moss plant in which one or more specific genes are deleted or inactivated by gene targeting. After deletion of a gene, the knockout moss has lost the trait encoded by this gene. Thus, the function of this gene can be inferred. This scientific approach is called reverse genetics as the scientist wants to unravel the function of a specific gene. In classical genetics the scientist starts with a phenotype of interest and searches for the gene that causes this phenotype. Knockout-mosses are relevant for basic research in biology as well as in biotechnology.