The discovery of RNA interference (RNAi) mediated through small interfering RNA(siRNA) offers a novel therapeutic strategy based on the highly specific and efficient silencing of a target gene and has revolutionized the study of biological processes. The siRNA originate by dsRNA specific endonuclease activity of Dicer. Then it is incorporated into RISC(RNA induced silencing complex) which locates to specific site on the target mRNA and degrade it by endonuclease activity. siRNA are now novel tool to biologists to silence the gene at transcriptional as well as post-transcriptional level. In this review we have discussed detailed mechanism of RNAi and basic criteria of siRNA followed by aspects of therapeutic application, delivery into cells, hurdles and future prospects. siRNA libraries are also being recruited as novel tool in functional screening of genome. If further research make us enable to understand the different RNAi strategies to achieve thightly controlled gene regulation and expression, it will bring breakthrough advances in both basic and applied sciences.
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