Question

Which statement describes an example of forward genetics?

Question 8 options:


A scientist overexpresses a human gene encoding a chloride transporter in a mouse.


A scientist uses RNA interference (RNAi) to simultaneously knock down the expression of two genes in C. elegans to determine whether they function redundantly.


A researcher treats a large number of Arabidopsis plants with different chemicals to determine which chemicals inhibit plant growth.


A researcher creates knockout mutations in mouse homologs of three genes known to function in fruit fly nervous system development.


A scientist examines a large number of mutagenized zebrafish embryos for abnormalities in blood vessel formation.

Answer 1

An example of forward genetics is a scientist examining mutagenized zebrafish embryos for defects in blood vessel formation, as this approach starts with random mutations and screens for phenotypic outcomes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The example of forward genetics described in the options provided by the student is: "A scientist examines a large number of mutagenized zebrafish embryos for abnormalities in blood vessel formation." This method involves the random mutagenesis of an organism's genome and then screening for phenotypic changes. The mutations that result in an interesting phenotype are then studied to identify the underlying genetic changes. This contrasts with reverse genetics, where researchers start with a known DNA sequence and attempt to determine its function by observing the effects of its mutation or deletion on the organism's phenotype.