The LoxP/CRE System and Genome Modification

Conventional gene knockout technology by homologous recombination can provide important information toward elucidating the function of some genes; however, the role of many genes cannot be investigated due to early embryonic lethality. Alternatively, the role of a particular gene in adult tissues may be masked by developmental abnormalities in any knockout animals generated. The implementation of site specific recombinases, such as the bacteriophage P1 LoxP /CRE system, enables the development of conditional knockouts that lack a particular gene only in a specific tissue or after a specific stage of development. This system can also be used to facilitate transgene activation/inactivation in vivo, deletions of large stretches of genomic DNA, chromosomal translocation and subtle alterations to genes and/or their regulatory sequences in vivo. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.