Knocking out the target in rats

Despite the genetic similarity between rat and mouse, knockouts in the latter are commonplace whereas progress with knockout rats has lagged behind. Indeed, none of the gene deletions in rats have been targeted. Now, Open Monoclonal Technology Inc. (OMT) and collaborators including Sangamo BioSciences Inc. have reported a new way of making knockout rats in a targeted fashion.¹

The application of zinc finger technology not only opens the potential to replace mouse-generated mAbs but may enable targeted gene deletion in any mammal...