RNA干扰-转录后水平的基因沉默

RNAi-post-transcriptional gene silencing

随着人类基因组计划的初步完成,生命科学也随之进入后基因组计划的时代。在各种研究基因功能的方法中,RNA水平使目的基因沉默无疑是目前研究的新点和热点,特别是双链RNA(dsRNA)介导的转录后水平的基因沉默(PTGS),更是快速关闭基因的途径,目前在植物、线虫、果蝇和小鼠早期胚胎中均有发现和证实。这一现象的发现和应用将有助于基因功能及其在信号传导、病毒抵御机制等方面的研究,并有可能开创基因治疗的新模式。

The discovery of post-transcriptional gene silencing ( PTGS) in plants has led the latest revolution in molecular biology. Silencing is triggered by dsRNA that induces PTGS through the RNAi pathway and becomes a powerful new tool for analyzing gene knockdown phenotypes. PTGS is not limited to plants but has also been shown in fungi, Drosophila, C. elegans and early mouse embryos. It would facilitate genomic-scale cell-based analyses of gene functions and the dissection of signal transduction pathways, and it also can be used in gene therapy.