RNAi: Use & Detection

[Hypothetical situation]: Recent intelligence has also indicated that specific terrorist groups have retained scientists familiar with RNAi technologies and CRISPR technologies.

You should therefore determine how this technology may be used and detected.

2015-01-12

RNA interference (RNAi)

• biological process in which small RNA molecules inhibit gene expression, typically by the destruction/interference of specific mRNA molecules

• 2 types of small RNA molecules: • microRNA (miRNA) • small interfering RNA (siRNA)

http:/

/en.w

ikipe

dia.or

g/wiki

/Micr

oRNA

How it works:

!

miRNA

http:/

/www

.gene

-qua

ntific

ation

.de/si

RNA-

mech

anism

.png

How it works:

!

siRNA

Use★ Immunity

★ Development • Genes need to be turned

on/off at certain stages

★ Research tool

★ Biotechnology • Food • Insecticide

★Medicine

Potential Enemy Use★ Knockdown tumor supressor genes

★ Take advantage of off-target effects

★Genetically modified foods • Efforts in reduction of the cyanogenic natural product

linamarin in cassava plants [1] • During digestion, linamarin (also found in lima beans)

decomposes to toxic chemical hydrogen cyanide • What if they crank up linamarin production?

What if linamarin was produced by other plants?

[1] Generation of cyanogen-free transgenic cassava. (PMID: 14520563) [2] Uncover genetic interactions in Caenorhabditis elegans by RNA interference. (PMID: 16307378)

http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Poisoned_Apple

Detection

• Western blot

• RT-PCR

• RNA poly(A) selection + RNA-seq

• small RNA / non-coding RNA-seq