Regulatable promoters for synthesis of small hairpin RNA

摘要

The present invention provides compositions for RNA interference and methods of use thereof. The present invention is based on the development of promoters that can be used to regulate shRNA expression spatially (in specific cells) and temporally (at specific times) in cells or transgenic animals that express a recombinase. The compositions and methods of the present invention feature regulatable promoters that allow for inhibition of the expression of target alleles in a spatially and temporally regulatable manner. Thus, the compositions of the present invention are useful for investigating gene functions, both physiologic and pathologic, in specific cell groups and in specific ages, in normal and disease pathways. Functional and genomic and proteomic methods are featured. Therapeutic methods are also featured.