A method of inducing transposition in a transgenic embryo, sperm and egg
is described, comprising the steps of (a) generating a first adult
transgenic organism comprising within its genome one or more copies of a
transposon; (b) generating a second adult transgenic organism comprising
within its genome one or more copies of a gene encoding a transposase
cognate for the transposon and/or a sequence capable of regulating
expression of the gene encoding the transposase; (c) crossing the first
adult transgenic organism with the second transgenic adult organism to
provide a progeny which comprises, in the genome of one or more of its
cells, both (i) one or more copies of the transposon and (ii) a gene
encoding a transposase cognate for the transposon, wherein the gene
encoding the transposase is under the control of one or more inducible
regulatory sequences which permit expression of the transposase, and (d)
expressing the gene encoding the transposase in the embryo, sperm or egg
to cause mobilization of the transposon within a portion of the tissues
or cells of the progeny. Using the method, mobilization of a transposon
can advantageously be induced at predetermined stages of development of
an embryo, sperm or egg and the mutated gene of a single cell may be
replicated in subsequent cell divisions, resulting in groups of cells
which are essentially homogenous for the transposed gene.