A RAPIDLY growing area of genomics research is the field of gene silencing, particularly through the use of short interfering RNA (siRNA). This has become a useful tool for understanding the involvement of genes in disease states and pathways, and several methods have been developed for siRNA preparation and delivery.
RNA silencing: a length of RNA (yellow/red) bound to an RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC)
A useful new guide to the area is now available from Amsbio. Top Ten Tips for Gene Silencing and Delivery reflects the company’s experience of gene silencing techniques, and is targeted at researchers working with gene knockdown techniques to reveal gene function in biological processes.
Among the topics covered in the guide are:
- Determining the best RNAi tools for an application
- The importance of positive and negative controls
- Minimising exposure to RNases
- The benefits of optimised transfection reagents
- Obtaining optimal transfection efficiency
- Saving time with validated siRNA sequences
- Confirming that a siRNA sequence is unique
- Determining the siRNA required to effectively silence a given gene.
Amsbio offers a range of tools and services for siRNA generation, expression vectors and oligo sets, ready-to-use and custom Lentivirus particles, and siRNA-specific transfection reagents.