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RNAi in Cultured Drosophila Cells

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Drosophila Cytogenetics Protocols

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 247))

Abstract

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-mediated interference, or RNAi, has emerged as an effective technique to phenocopy the loss of function of a given gene product. With this tool researchers can study the functions of individual molecules in living cells and elucidate the mechanisms that regulate cell division. For example, many molecules that are important for regulating mitosis and for controlling the assembly of the mitotic spindle are mutated in different cancer cell types (for a review, see ref. 1). Functional analysis in vivo of molecules that play a role in mitosis is best implemented by a genetic analysis. For this, genetically malleable organisms such as Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans, yeast, and other micro-organisms have been extremely useful. Whereas genetic analysis usually requires a long-term effort, RNAi provides a rapid method for the reverse genetic analysis of gene product function and can be exploited to great advantage. In the era of sequenced genomes, this technique provides a valuable tool for functional genomics. Here, a detailed procedure for RNAi in Drosophila cells in culture is presented.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences and The Department of Pharmacology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

    Ling-Rong Kao & Timothy L. Megraw

Authors
  1. Ling-Rong Kao
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  2. Timothy L. Megraw
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacological Sciences, State University of New York at Stony Brook, NY

    Daryl S. Henderson

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© 2004 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

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Kao, LR., Megraw, T.L. (2004). RNAi in Cultured Drosophila Cells. In: Henderson, D.S. (eds) Drosophila Cytogenetics Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 247. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-665-7:443

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-665-7:443

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-050-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-665-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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