What is Site-directed Mutagenesis?

Site-directed mutagenesis is a common tool in the molecular laboratory. Basically, it’s an easy way to create a specific mutation, usually, one that has been associated with a disease, in a single gene. That mutated gene can then be used to express a mutant protein, and the behavior of that protein can be studied, which can lead to important insights into disease pathology.

It’s now relatively simple to perform site-directed mutagenesis, but someone first had to pioneer the process. In October 1993, Dr. Michael Smith received a Nobel Prize for doing so. Learn more about it from Dr. Smith himself and others in this quick video.