Question

Silencing of a gene could be achieved through the use of:

• A. Short interfering RNA only
• B. Antisense RNA only
• C. Both short interfering RNA and antisense RNA
• D. None of these

Answer 1

The correct option is C Both short interfering RNA and antisense RNA

Gene silencing could be achieved through various routes including the use of RNAi, antisense RNA, short interfering RNA, ribozymes, etc. All these mechanism interrupts or suppresses the expression of genes at transcriptional or translational level.

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are artificially synthesized 19–23 nucleotide long double-stranded RNA molecules. They are routinely used in molecular biology for transient silencing of gene of interest.

Antisense RNA, also referred to as antisense transcript, natural antisense transcript or antisense oligonucleotide, is a single stranded RNA that is complementary to a protein coding messenger RNA with which it hybridizes, and thereby blocks its translation into protein.