Molecular mechanisms of RNAi: Implications for development and disease - RNAi

Molecular mechanisms of RNAi: Implications for development and disease
18 Apr 2005
Meenakshi Rao, Shanthini Sockanathan
Birth Defects Research Part C: Embryo Today: Reviews
Abstract
Research over the past few years has led to dramatic new discoveries on the role of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in the cell. RNA duplexes have been shown to orchestrate epigenetic changes, repress translation, and direct mRNA degradation in a sequence-specific manner. These diverse effects of dsRNA on gene expression have been termed RNA interference (RNAi). In addition to playing a role in viral defense and silencing transposons, RNAi also has a critical function in a number of developmental processes in the embryo. In this review, we explore these roles and discuss the molecular mechanisms behind dsRNA-mediated gene silencing. Further, we address the use of RNAi as a tool to study gene function in biology, and as a strategy for treating human disease. Birth Defects Research (Part C) 75:28-42, 2005.
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