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RNAi: What’s All the Noise About Gene Silencing? Ernie Hood Abstract The ability to selectively silence genes is one of the hottest topics in biology today. Gene silencing---or RNA interference (RNAi) , as it is now known---has been revealed to be an ancient mechanism protecting cells from invading viruses and from damage by transposable genetic elements, performing a variety of cellular housekeeping functions essential to survival, health, and development. The discovery of RNAi has revolutionized genetic research, and is on the verge of spawning an entirely new class of drugs to treat human diseases with a genetic component, provided that significant barriers in delivery can be overcome. The full version of this article is available for free in HTML or PDF formats. |
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