title: RNA-interference-based functional genomics in mammalian cells: reverse genetics coming of age.
abstract: Sequencing of complete genomes has provided researchers with a wealth of information to study genome organization, genetic instability, and polymorphisms, as well as a knowledge of all potentially expressed genes. The identification of all genes encoded in the human genome opens the door for large-scale systematic gene silencing using small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs). With the recent development of siRNA and shRNA expression libraries, the application of RNAi technology to assign function to cancer genes and to delineate molecular pathways in which these genes affect in normal and transformed cells, will contribute significantly to the knowledge necessary to develop new and also improve existing cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Watson School of Biological Sciences, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hannon
authors.forename: Fabiola V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Rivas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015723:Gene Library; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D034622:RNA Interference / Q000502:physiology*