text: RNA Interference Boost To Understanding Gene Function - HUM-MOLGEN news
  RNA Interference Boost To Understanding Gene Function
  March, 30 2004 9:20
  Two new tools are set to accelerate our understanding of mammalian gene function. The resources, detailed in two papers in the 25 March 2004 issue of Nature (Vol. 428, No. 6981, pp. 427-431 and 431-437), focus on RNA interference (RNAi) - the ability of short stretches of RNA to selectively switch genes off.
  Two groups have made libraries producing such RNA fragments, each targeting around a third of human genes. The small, interfering pieces of RNA can be introduced into a wide range of mammalian cells, including embryonic stem cells, where they turn key genes off. The genes chosen are those with potential roles in human disease, so it is hoped that the libraries will help to pinpoint the functions of key genes in disease.
  One group, led by René Bernards, has screened around 8,000 human genes to find those involved in the cessation of cell division. Two libraries created by Gregory J. Hannon and colleagues target almost 10,000 human genes and around 5,000 mouse genes, respectively. "This library of easily transferable shRNAs is a beautifully designed resource and should permit an impressive range of analyses in diverse cell types," says Andrew Fraser in an accompanying News and Views article.