Editing Mutagenesis (section)

== Laboratory applications ==
{{Main|Mutagenesis (molecular biology technique)}}

In the laboratory, mutagenesis is a technique by which DNA mutations are deliberately engineered to produce mutant genes, proteins, or strains of organisms. Various constituents of a gene, such as its control elements and its gene product, may be mutated so that the function of a gene or protein can be examined in detail. The mutation may also produce mutant proteins with altered properties, or enhanced or novel functions that may prove to be of use commercially. Mutant strains of organisms that have practical applications, or allow the molecular basis of particular cell function to be investigated, may also be produced.

Early methods of mutagenesis produced entirely random mutations; however, modern methods of mutagenesis are capable of producing [[Site-directed mutagenesis|site-specific mutations]]. Modern laboratory techniques used to generate these mutations include:

* [[Directed mutagenesis]]
* [[Site-directed mutagenesis]]/ [[PCR mutagenesis]]
* [[Insertional mutagenesis]]
* [[Signature tagged mutagenesis]]
* [[Transposon mutagenesis]]
* [[Sequence saturation mutagenesis]]