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The building blocks of the genome and their structural variation. Artistic rendering and image by Paul Dear with assistance from Erin Boyle. Article p447
Two methods give genetics researchers new ways to uncover different forms of genomic structural variation. Based on a novel application of existing PCR technologies, they promise to make the study of DNA rearrangements accessible to a wider field.
If you want to silence a single gene with relative ease, look no further than RNA interference (RNAi). Fast becoming the knockdown method of choice in many systems, RNAi reagents such as commercial small inhibitory RNAs (siRNAs) and specialized media are now widely available to streamline your work. Caitlin Smith sizes up some of the new tools available for RNAi.
