Nature publishes the paper “Potent and specific genetic interference by double-stranded RNA in Caenorhabditis elegans” by Andrew Fire, SiQun Xu, Mary K. Montgomery, Steven A. Kostas, Samuel E. Driver and Craig C. Mello. Double-stranded RNA had been recognized in science since the 1950s, but was thought to primarily occur in viruses. The work reported in this paper—for which Fire and Mello were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2006—demonstrated for the first time the role of double-stranded RNA in silencing the expression of individual genes. Subsequently, this RNA silencing has been found in nearly every type of animal cell.
On this day in 1998…
Published by Shea Robison
I recently completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at the City University of Hong Kong in the Department of Public Policy with the Center for East Asian and Comparative Philosophy. I am now teaching courses in political science at Idaho State University and the College of Eastern Idaho. View all posts by Shea Robison