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Technically Speaking: RNAi: RNA Interference
By Natalie Betz, Ph.D.
Promega Corporation
RNA interference (RNAi) is a rapidly emerging and powerful technique used
to investigate gene function by degrading a specific mRNA target in a cell
or organism and thus knocking out or knocking down the level of the
encoded protein. This specific mRNA degradation is mediated by
complementary double-stranded RNA. This article reviews RNAi and its
relationship to other RNA-mediated mechanisms generally referred to as RNA
silencing. This review also addresses the involvement of short interfering
RNAs (siRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), small temoral RNAs (stRNAs), and short
hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) in various RNA silencing mechanisms.
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