title: siVirus: web-based antiviral siRNA design software for highly divergent viral sequences.
abstract: siVirus (http://siVirus.RNAi.jp/) is a web-based online software system that provides efficient short interfering RNA (siRNA) design for antiviral RNA interference (RNAi). siVirus searches for functional, off-target minimized siRNAs targeting highly conserved regions of divergent viral sequences. These siRNAs are expected to resist viral mutational escape, since their highly conserved targets likely contain structurally/functionally constrained elements. siVirus will be a useful tool for designing optimal siRNAs targeting highly divergent pathogens, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), influenza virus and SARS coronavirus, all of which pose enormous threats to global human health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. naito@RNAi.jp
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ui-Tei
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takebe
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saigo
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D001483:Base Sequence; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D014644:Genetic Variation; D020407:Internet; D034622:RNA Interference; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000235:genetics; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000737:chemistry*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry*; D012984:Software
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D012367:RNA, Viral