In
molecular biology, a
reporter gene (often simply
reporter) is a
gene that researchers attach to a regulatory sequence of another gene of interest in
bacteria,
cell culture, animals or plants. Certain genes are chosen as reporters because the characteristics they confer on organisms expressing them are easily identified and measured, or because they are
selectable markers. Reporter genes are often used as an indication of whether a certain gene has been taken up by or expressed in the cell or organism population.