Short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are as effective at targeting and silencing genes by RNA interference (RNAi) as long double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs). siRNAs are widely used for assessing gene function in cultured mammalian cells or early developing vertebrate embryos. siRNAs are also promising reagents for developing gene-specific therapeutics. Specifically, the inhibition of HIV-1 replication is particularly well-suited to RNAi, as several stages of the viral life cycle and many viral and cellular genes can be targeted. The future success of this approach will depend on recent advances in siRNA-based silencing technologies.
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