title: Large-scale production of dsRNA and siRNA pools for RNA interference utilizing bacteriophage phi6 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase.
abstract: The discovery of RNA interference (RNAi) has revolutionized biological research and has a huge potential for therapy. Since small double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) are required for various RNAi applications, there is a need for cost-effective methods for producing large quantities of high-quality dsRNA. We present two novel, flexible virus-based systems for the efficient production of dsRNA: (1) an in vitro system utilizing the combination of T7 RNA polymerase and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) of bacteriophage 6 to generate dsRNA molecules of practically unlimited length, and (2) an in vivo RNA replication system based on carrier state bacterial cells containing the 6 polymerase complex to produce virtually unlimited amounts of dsRNA of up to 4.0 kb. We show that pools of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) derived from dsRNA produced by these systems significantly decreased the expression of a transgene (eGFP) in HeLa cells and blocked endogenous pro-apoptotic BAX expression and subsequent cell death in cultured sympathetic neurons.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Antti P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Aalto
authors.forename: L Peter
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Sarin
authors.forename: Alberdina A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: van Dijk
authors.forename: Mart
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saarma
authors.forename: Minna M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Poranen
authors.forename: Urmas
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Arumäe
authors.forename: Dennis H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Bamford
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017126:Bacteriophage phi 6 / Q000201:enzymology*; D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D034622:RNA Interference; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000737:chemistry*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D014764:Viral Proteins; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase