Novel insights into RNAi off-target effects using C. elegans paralogs.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In the few years since its discovery, RNAi has turned into a very powerful tool for the study of gene function by allowing post-transcriptional gene silencing. The RNAi mechanism, which is based on the introduction of a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) trigger whose sequence is similar to that of the targeted messenger RNA (mRNA), is subject to off-target cross-reaction.

Results

We use a novel strategy based on phenotypic analysis of paralogs and predict that, in Caenorhabditis elegans, off-target effects occur when an mRNA sequence shares more than 95% identity over 40 nucleotides with the dsRNA. Interestingly, our results suggest that the minimum length necessary of a high-similarity stretch between a dsRNA and its target in order to observe an efficient RNAi effect

SUBMITTER: Rual JF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1868761 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature