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Gene knockout organisms are animals, usually mice and rats, who have been genetically engineered so that one of their genes is removed or knocked out. The ways in which their behaviour or appearance deviates from normal shows what the function of that gene is. For example, if the animals cannot stop eating and eat themselves to death, then it is clear that the genes are essential to the animal's ability to feel full and so stop eating. Knockout mice can also be used to test the effect of drugs and medication: if the drug has an effect on normal mice but not on the knockout mice then clearly the drug works through the mechanism which is controlled by the missing gene.

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Q: How are gene knockout organisms used in determining the function of genes?
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What are knockout animals?

Animals that have knockout genes. Knock out gene:A gene knockout (abbreviation: KO) is a genetic technique in which an organism is engineered to carry genes that have been made inoperative (have been "knocked out" of the organism). This is done for research purposes. Also known as knockout organisms or simply knockouts, they are used in learning about a gene that has been sequenced, but which has an unknown or incompletely known function. Researchers draw inferences from the difference between the knockout organism and normal individuals. The term also refers to the process of creating such an organism, as in "knocking out" a gene. The technique is essentially the opposite of a Gene Knock-in. Knockout is often abbreviated as KO. Knocking out two genes simultaneously in an organism is known as a double knockout (DKO). Similarly the terms triple knockout (TKO) and quadruple knockouts (QKO) are used to descripe 3 or 4 knocked out genes, respectively.Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_knockout


What is meant by gene knockout testing?

A knockout organism is an organism that's missing a functioning gene. They're used to test the function of genes and genetic diseases, because a researcher can observe specific changes in a gene knockout organism's gene expression and traits.


Why chromosomes are important for organisms?

each chromosome has thousands of genes that play an important role in determining how an organism develops and functions


What is the function of a chromosone?

The function of a chromosomes is to make living organisms as they are. They transfer DNA traits and genes from the parent to the daughter cells.


Explain why chromosomes are important for organisms?

each chromosome has thousands of genes that play an important role in determining how an organism develops and functions


What does the presence of Similar genes in very dissimilar organisms imply?

Common ancestor, or convergent evolution to the same function


How are the knockout mice useful in determining the function of genes?

Knock out mice are produced by impairing or deleting a particular gene expression. Thus the gene function (which was deleted) can be tracked by studying this knock out and the control mice. Lets say a gene is suspected to trigger immune response against a pathogen, one can study this by infecting the wild type(normal) and knock out(specific gene deleted) mice and study the role of the gene.


What can determine an organisms traits?

Genes are what determine an organisms physical traits.


DNA has to be able to do three things?

-be able to carry information from one generation to the next -to put information to work by determining the heritable characteristics of organisms -to be easily copied, because all of a cells' genetic information is replicated every times a cell divides.


What controls traits in organisms?

The traits of an organism are controlled by genes and environment. Genes


Examples of areas in which advances in genetics are important?

Genetics is a regimen of biology that is the science of genes, heredity, and the variation in living organisms. It deals with the molecular structure and function of genes, and the gene behavior in the context of a cell or an organism. An example of areas in which advances in genetics are important are medical breakthroughs, and medications that will work against diseases and birth defects. It is also stated that genes play a role in determining an organism's size, nutrition, and health. - Aaron Steve Mobley (steve10105)


What critical things genes were known to do?

A: first,genes had to carry information from one generation to the next; B: second, they had to put that ingormation to workby determining the heritable characteristics of organisms C: third,genes had to easily copied,because all of a cells genetic information is replicated every time a cell divides