In
genetic engineering, transposon tagging is a process where
transposons (transposable elements) are amplified inside a biological cell by a tagging technique. Transposon tagging has been used with several
species to isolate
genes.[1][self-published source?] Even without knowing the nature of the specific genes, the process can still be used.[1]
By using transposon tagging, researchers have been able to add genetic elements from
maize (corn)[3] and
Antirrhinum into some other species (such as
tobacco,[4] aspen[5] and others).[2] A gene responsible for a particular
phenotype can be cloned within a given species, when movement is accompanied by the presence of a mutant phenotype.[2]