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Review

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 4, 457–467 (1 June 2003) | doi:10.1038/nrm1129

Killing the messenger: short RNAs that silence gene expression

Derek M. Dykxhoorn , Carl D. Novina & Phillip A. Sharp

Short interfering RNAs can be used to silence gene expression in a sequence-specific manner in a process that is known as RNA interference. The application of RNA interference in mammals has the potential to allow the systematic analysis of gene expression and holds the possibility of therapeutic gene silencing. Much of the promise of RNA interference will depend on the recent advances in short-RNA-based silencing technologies.