The RNA-induced Silencing Complex: a Versatile Gene-silencing Machine

Overview

Journal J Biol Chem

Specialty Biochemistry

Date 2009 Apr 4

PMID 19342379

Citations 261

Authors

Ashley J Pratt

Ian J MacRae

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

RNA interference is a powerful mechanism of gene silencing that underlies many aspects of eukaryotic biology. On the molecular level, RNA interference is mediated by a family of ribonucleoprotein complexes called RNA-induced silencing complexes (RISCs), which can be programmed to target virtually any nucleic acid sequence for silencing. The ability of RISC to locate target RNAs has been co-opted by evolution many times to generate a broad spectrum of gene-silencing pathways. Here, we review the fundamental biochemical and biophysical properties of RISC that facilitate gene targeting and describe the various mechanisms of gene silencing known to exploit RISC activity.

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