ABSTRACT
Mutagenesis methods include the construction of insertions and deletions, the use of transposable elements, the incorporation of synthetic oligonucleotides, and the use of chemical mutagens. Transposable elements or transposons are naturally occurring DNA sequences that are capable of residing in one DNA molecule and inserting a copy into another DNA molecule. Determination of nucleotide sequence is the basis for much of the research concerning gene structure and function. Automated DNA sequence machines that are based on the detection of fluorescent analogs can scan the sequence as the DNA fragments electrophorese through the polyacrylamide gel, interpret the sequence, and load the information directly into a computer. The study of the regulation of gene expression must ultimately focus on the investigation of protein:nucleic acid interactions.
