title: Development of a species-specific RNA polymerase I-based shRNA expression vector.
abstract: RNA interference (RNAi) can be induced in vitro either by application of synthetic short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), or by intracellular expression of siRNAs or short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) from transfected vectors. The most widely used promoters for siRNA/shRNA expression are based on polymerase III (Pol III)-dependent transcription. We developed an alternative vector for siRNA/shRNA expression, using a mouse RNA polymerase I (Pol I) promoter. Pol I-dependent transcription serves in cells for production of ribosomal RNA (rRNA), and as such, is ubiquitously and stably active in different cell types. As Pol I-dependent transcription is highly species-specific, Pol I-based system provides an important biosafety advantage with respect to silencing of genes with unknown functions.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, D-80804 Munich, Germany. mbrenz@mpipsykl.mpg.de
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Brenz Verca
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Graf
authors.forename: Damián
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Refojo
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kühn
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grummt
authors.forename: Beat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lutz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D034622:RNA Interference; D012318:RNA Polymerase I / Q000378:metabolism*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism*; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; D012318:RNA Polymerase I