For over four years this Core has been providing services to members of the research community. We combine the power of RNA interference and the use of lentiviral technologies to create silencing systems for research use. If you would like to use our services, simply create a new account and complete the requested fields. Creating an account gives you access to Core services including virus production, a Lentivirus vector database, important biosafety information, and e-office hours for trouble-shooting your RNAi experiments.
RNA interference
At the heart of the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway is the dsRNA endonuclease Dicer, which produces small ~21-23 nucleotide RNAs that are believed to participate in antiviral pathways, transposon silencing, silencing of heterochromatin, DNA methylation, and development. Scientists usurp this pathway to study the functions of genes, since short interfering RNAs (shRNAs) can be engineered in the lab and used to “turn down” the volume of a specific gene.
Lentiviruses
Lentiviruses are powerful transfection vehicles capable of infecting non-dividing cells, including even the differentiated neurons of the brain. Short hairpin RNAs can be expressed from lentiviruses, allowing for high efficiency transfection of a variety of cell types. This approach to RNAi has allowed the rapid interrogation of gene function in primary cells and tissues, including the generation of shRNA transgenic mice. Several groups within academia and biotech are directing their efforts towards generating shRNAs for therapeutic use in humans. Sandler funding is helping us to subsidize our efforts to make this technology accessible to the community.
Objectives of the core
It is the objective of the Core to facilitate research studies by providing lentiviral reagents, services, and training to investigators interested in interrogating gene function. The majority of the services address the need for RNA interference reagents and expertise, however we also provide services for the expression of protein transgenes via lentivirus. Reagents are be in the form vectors and titered virus, including an RNAi library that was developed in 2008 and is is being unraveled for 2009. High titer lentivirus is prepared for investigators to use in cell culture, or importantly, in the rapid derivation of transgenic RNAi mice. Contact us if this is something you are interested in embracing in your research program.
What we do
The Core provides information, training, assistance and resources for experiments to be performed by individual investigators by providing: 1) Essential reagents, equipment, training, supervision, and monitoring of investigators wishing to ensure the proper compliance with biosafety containment required for lentiviral-based research. 2) Lentiviral preparation services (outlined below) for investigators located within the Sandler Program. 3) Education on RNAi experimentation, through the lentiviral core website, and through protocols available at the facility.
If you have any questions, please contact viracore@ucsf.edu