RNA interference (RNAi) can mediate the long- or short-term silencing of gene expression at the DNA, RNA, and/or protein level. Although several triggers of RNAi have been identified, the best characterized of these are small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which can decrease gene expression through mRNA transcript cleavage, and endogenous microRNAs (miRNAs), which primarily inhibit protein translation. An improved understanding of RNAi has provided new, powerful tools for conducting functional studies in a gene-specific manner. In various applications, RNAi has been used to create model systems, to identify novel molecular targets, to study gene function in a genome-wide fashion, and to create new avenues for clinical therapeutics. Here, we review many of the ongoing applications of RNAi in mammalian and human systems, and discuss how advances in our knowledge of the RNAi machinery have enhanced the use of these technologies.

中文翻译：

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RNA干扰在哺乳动物系统中的应用。

RNA干扰（RNAi）可以在DNA，RNA和/或蛋白质水平上介导基因表达的长期或短期沉默。尽管已经确定了几种RNAi诱因，但这些诱因的最好特征是小干扰RNA（siRNA）和内源性microRNA（miRNA），后者可通过mRNA转录切割来降低基因表达，而miRNA主要抑制蛋白质翻译。对RNAi的更好理解为以基因特异性方式进行功能研究提供了新的强大工具。在各种应用中，RNAi已用于创建模型系统，识别新的分子靶标，以全基因组方式研究基因功能，并为临床治疗方法创造新途径。在这里，我们回顾了RNAi在哺乳动物和人类系统中的许多持续应用，