SILENCING genes as a way of tackling infections and perhaps cancer could become more practical thanks to a longer-lasting and more effective version of a technique called RNA interference.
RNAi involves blocking the expression of specific genes by delivering short lengths of RNA into cells (Â鶹´«Ã½, 14 September 2002, p 28). These so-called small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) work by binding to messenger RNA, made as the first step in protein production, which is then destroyed.
Targeting siRNAs against viral genes should be a good way to combat viral infections. However, siRNAs are quickly broken down inside cells, so…
