In vivo RNAi: Today and Tomorrow

Norbert Perrimon; Jian-Quan Ni; Lizabeth Perkins

doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a003640

In vivo RNAi: Today and Tomorrow

¹Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
²Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02175
³Pediatric Surgical Research Labs, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114

Correspondence: perrimon{at}receptor.med.harvard.edu

SUMMARY

RNA interference (RNAi) provides a powerful reverse genetics approach to analyze gene functions both in tissue culture and in vivo. Because of its widespread applicability and effectiveness it has become an essential part of the tool box kits of model organisms such as Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila, and the mouse. In addition, the use of RNAi in animals in which genetic tools are either poorly developed or nonexistent enables a myriad of fundamental questions to be asked. Here, we review the methods and applications of in vivo RNAi to characterize gene functions in model organisms and discuss their impact to the study of developmental as well as evolutionary questions. Further, we discuss the applications of RNAi technologies to crop improvement, pest control and RNAi therapeutics, thus providing an appreciation of the potential for phenomenal applications of RNAi to agriculture and medicine.