RNA molecules and vectors for gene silencing
The invention is directed to compositions for gene silencing by providing short RNA molecules to cells.
1. A composition for introduction into a cell to effect gene silencing, consisting essentially of isolated short antisense RNA molecules (SARMs) and isolated short sense RNA molecules (SSRMs), collectively short RNA molecules (SRMs),
wherein the SSRMs and the SARMs consist of 21-30 nucleotides;
wherein said SARMS are complementary to, and can base pair with, a target RNA, which target RNA is transcribed from a gene that is silenced when said SRMs are present in a cell containing said gene, and said SSRMs correspond to the target RNA; and
wherein said gene is endogenous to an organism selected from the group consisting of a plant, a mammal, an avian organism, a reptile, an insect, and a protozoan, or
said target RNA is generated by a pathogen.
2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said SRMs are unmodified.
3. The composition of claim 1 wherein each SSRM and each SARM consists of 25 nucleotides.
4. The composition of claim 1 wherein each SSRM and each SARM consists of 26 nucleotides.
5. The composition of claim 1 wherein each SSRM and each SARM consists of 27 nucleotides.
6. The composition of claim 1 wherein each SSRM and each SARM consists of 28 nucleotides.
7. The composition of claim 1 wherein each SSRM and each SARM consists of 29 nucleotides.
8. The composition of claim 1 wherein each SSRM and each SARM consists of 30 nucleotides.
9. A composition for introduction into a cell to effect gene silencing, which composition comprises at least one vector which, when introduced into a cell, produces short antisense RNA molecules (SARMs) and short sense RNA molecules (SSRMs), said SARMs and SSRMs designated, collectively, short RNA molecules (SRMs),
wherein the SSRMs and SARMs consist of 20-30 nucleotides;
wherein said SARMs are complementary to, and can base pair with, a target RNA, which target RNA is transcribed from a gene that is silenced when said SRMs are present in a cell containing said gene, and said SSRMs correspond to the target RNA;
wherein said gene is endogenous to an organism selected from the group consisting of a plant, a mammal, an avian organism, a reptile, an insect, and a protozoan, or
said target RNA is generated by a pathogen.
10. The composition of claim 9 wherein each SSRM and each SARM consists of 25 nucleotides.
11. The composition of claim 9 wherein each SSRM and each SARM consists of 26 nucleotides.
12. The composition of claim 9 wherein each SSRM and each SARM consists of 27 nucleotides.
13. The composition of claim 9 wherein each SSRM and each SARM consists of 28 nucleotides.
14. The composition of claim 9 wherein each SSRM and each SARM consists of 29 nucleotides.
15. The composition of claim 9 wherein each SSRM and each SARM consists of 30 nucleotides.