What is the best method of stopping the function of a specific gene?

• A. Knockout technology
• B. Knockin technology
• C. Transgenic technology
• D. Backcrossing

Answer: (A)

Gene knockout is the method used to completely stop a specific gene’s function by disrupting its coding sequence so no functional protein is produced. This direct loss of gene activity lets you observe what happens when the gene is absent, which is exactly what you’re aiming to study.

Knockin technologies, by contrast, involve inserting or altering a gene, often to replace it with a reporter or a differently mutated version. While you can use knockin approaches to study gene effects, they don’t inherently abolish the gene’s function unless the design intentionally disrupts it. Transgenic technology introduces additional genetic material or alters expression levels, typically of a different gene, and does not by itself turn off the endogenous gene’s function. Backcrossing is a breeding method to move a gene or trait into another genetic background, not a technique to inactivate a gene’s function.