RNA interferencea new and powerful tool for functional genomic analysis
- Vila, Miquel
- Romero Villafranca, Rafael
- Hernández Hernández, Víctor
- Fernández Rodríguez, Juana
- Cardona, Albert
- Bueno i Torrens, David
- Sancho, Vanessa
ISSN: 1575-6343
Año de publicación: 2001
Volumen: 2
Número: 1
Páginas: 23-33
Tipo: Artículo
Otras publicaciones en: Contributions to Science
Resumen
In many species, the introduction of double-stranded RNA induces potent and specific gene silencing, referred to as RNA interference. This phenomenon, which is based on targeted degradation of mRNAs and occurs in almost any eukaryote, from trypanosomes to mice including plants and fungi, has sparked general interest from both applied and fundamental standpoints. RNA interference, which is currently used to investigate gene function in a variety of systems, is linked to natural resistance to viruses and ransposon silencing, as if it were a primitive immune system involved in genome surveillance. Here, we review the mechanism of RNA interference in post-transcriptional gene silencing, its function in nature, its value for functional genomic analysis, and the modifications and improvements that may make it more efficient and inheritable. We also discuss the future directions of this versatile technique in both fundamental and applied science.