Question

What is RNA interference?

Answer 1

RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular mechanism in eukaryotic organisms that silences specific messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules, thereby preventing the translation of target genes. It works by the formation of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) that is complementary to the mRNA to be silenced. This dsRNA triggers RNAi, leading to degradation of the mRNA and blocking gene expression. RNAi acts as a gene regulatory mechanism and aids in defence against viral RNA or genetic elements. One important application is in developing pest-resistant plants, such as tobacco plants engineered to resist nematode infection by silencing nematode-specific genes through RNAi.