RNA interference (RNAi) is the process by which the expression of a target gene is effectively silenced or knocked down by the selective inactivation of its corresponding mRNA by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). The silencing mechanisms can either lead to the degradation of a target mRNA, as induced by small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) or short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) or the suppression of translation of specific mRNAs, as induced by microRNA (miRNA). RNAi technology allows researchers to analyze gene function, determine disease pathways and identify potential drug targets.
