Mechanism and Strategies of RNAi in Mammals

摘要

RNA interference (RNAi) refers to the selective degradation of mRNA induced by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) , first discovered in Caenorhabditis elegans. The hallmark of these phenomena is the presence of short dsRNA molecules (21 —23 bp long) , termed short interfering RNA (siRNA) , which are generated from dsRNA by the activity of Dicer,.a specific type RNase III. These molecules serve as a template for the recognition and cleavage of the cognate mRNA.