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I am studying genetic engineering.

I have a problem understanding how to find the necessary genes responsible for certain phenotypic traits.

Let's say plants have red petals. What methods are used to determine which genes provide this?

A biologist transfers a gene/genes from a spider to a silkworm. Now the silkworm produces spider web instead of silk.

How did this biologist determine which spider genes are responsible for producing the spider web?

How to identify a gene based on the biological function of an organism?

What methods?

It seems like we need to dig into transcriptomic technologies

Thanks!

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    $\begingroup$ This is very broad. I would expect an undergraduate-level course in Biology or Genetics would spend quite a bit of time on this. $\endgroup$
    – Bryan Krause ♦
    Commented Dec 2 at 19:16
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    $\begingroup$ This is hard to answer, I will try to explain why. For example "red petals". Are you interested in the genes for having a flower, genes for determining petal organ identity, genes for making red pigment, genes for not making purple or black or green pigment, genes for not transitioning away from sexual reproduction? All of these are needed to make the phenomenon "red petals". But we are now talking about maybe 5-10% of the total genes in the organism. Biology is complicated! "Gene for X" is usually not the best way to think about genetics. Try screening rather than transcriptomics. $\endgroup$
    – Maximilian Press
    Commented Dec 3 at 7:21

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