title: Applications of mass spectrometry to the study of siRNA.
abstract: RNA interference (RNAi) has quickly become a well-established laboratory tool for regulating gene expression and is currently being explored for its therapeutic potential. The design and use of double-stranded RNA oligonucleotides as therapeutics to trigger the RNAi mechanism and a greater effort to understand the RNAi pathway itself is driving the development of analytical techniques that can characterize these oligonucleotides. Electrospray (ESI) and MALDI have been used routinely to analyze oligonucleotides and their ability to provide mass and sequence information has made them ideal for this application. Reviewed here is the work done to date on the use of ESI and MALDI for the study of RNAi oligonucleotides as well as the strategies and issues associated with siRNA analysis by mass spectrometry. While there is not a large body of literature on the specific application of mass spectrometry to RNAi, the work done in this area is a good demonstration of the range of experiments that can be conducted and the value that ESI and MALDI can provide to the RNAi field.
authors.affiliation: RNA Therapeutics Department, Merck and Co., Inc., Boulder, CO 80301, USA. michael.beverly@novartis.com
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Beverly
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000737:chemistry*; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D034622:RNA Interference / Q000502:physiology; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000737:chemistry*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering