1. ¹Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
2. ²Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USA

Correspondence: Qinghua, Liu, Tel: 214-648-9120; Fax: 214-648-9729 E-mail: qinghua.liu@UTSouthwestern.edu; Xiaodong, Wang, Tel: 214-648-6713; Fax: 214-648-9729 E-mail: xiaodong.wang@UTSouthwestern.edu

Abstract

In less than 10 years since its inception, RNA interference (RNAi) has had extraordinary impact on biomedical science. RNAi has been demonstrated to influence numerous biological and disease pathways. Development and adoption of RNAi technologies have been prolific ranging from basic loss-of-function tools, genome-wide screening libraries to pharmaceutical target validation and therapeutic development. However, understanding of the molecular mechanisms of RNAi is far from complete. The purpose of this brief review is to highlight key achievements in elucidating the biochemical mechanisms of the RNA-induced silencing complex and to outline major challenges for the field.