Chapter 22, Problem 11EQ

Researchers have identified a gene in humans that (when mutant) causes severe dwarfism and mental impairment. This disorder is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, and the mutant allele is known to be a loss-of-function mutation. The same gene has been found in mice, although a mutant version of the gene has not been discovered in mice. To develop drugs and an effective therapy to treat this disorder in humans, it would be experimentally useful to have a mouse model. In other words, it would be desirable to develop a strain of mice that carry the mutant allele in the homozygous condition. Experimentally, how would you develop such a strain?