ABSTRACT
RNA interference (RNAi) is a highly conserved mechanism in most eukaryotic cells thought to serve as a regulator of gene expression and an antiviral defense mechanism.1-4 RNAi is a multi-step process that begins with the cleavage of double-stranded (dsRNA) by an RNase III-like enzyme, Dicer,5 into small interfering RNAs (siRNAs).6 The resulting 21 to 23 nt siRNAs are then incorporated into the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC),7 which directs siRNAs to their cognate mRNAs for destruction.3
