Sigma-Aldrich debuts TargeTron gene knockout system

Sigma-Aldrich has announced the commercialization of the TargeTron gene knockout system. Developed by Alan Lambowitz of the University of Texas at Austin, USA, and exclusively licensed from Ingex, the TargeTron system promises to revolutionize functional genomics and systems biology, the company said.

The TargeTron system provides the most robust and simple method available for site-specific disruption of DNA sequences within a host cell genome, the firm notes, adding that permanent gene disruption is performed in a non-random or targeted manner that does not require host recombination factors to mobilize. The technology exploits the retrohoming ability of group II introns in order to "target" the exact position of gene disruption.

Thus far, the technology has provided a greater than 90% successfull- targeted insertion rate in prokaryotes. The current TargeTron system has been used to create permanent knockouts across a broad range of bacterial strains such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Lactococcus lactis, Clostridium perfringens, Shigella flexneri and Salmonella typhimurium. Future systems will be developed for both plant- and mammalian-targeted gene disruption, according to Sigma-Aldrich.