RNA-triggered gene silencing.
Fire A.
Carnegie Institution of Washington, 115 West University Parkway, Baltimore, MD 21210, USA. fire@mail1.ciwemb.edu
Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) has recently been shown to trigger sequence-specific gene silencing in a wide variety of organisms, including nematodes, plants, trypanosomes, fruit flies and planaria; meanwhile an as yet uncharacterized RNA trigger has been shown to induce DNA methylation in several different plant systems. In addition to providing a surprisingly effective set of tools to interfere selectively with gene function, these observations are spurring new inquiries to understand RNA-triggered genetic-control mechanisms and their biological roles.
Publication Types:
PMID: 10461204 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]