Genetics, Vol. 175, 7-16, January 2007, Copyright © 2007
doi:10.1534/genetics.106.069963

Applications of High-Throughput RNA Interference Screens to Problems in Cell and Developmental Biology

Norbert Perrimon1 and Bernard Mathey-Prevot

Department of Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02175

1 Corresponding author: Department of Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 77 Ave. Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02175.
E-mail: perrimon{at}receptor.med.harvard.edu

RNA interference (RNAi) in tissue culture cells has emerged as an excellent methodology for identifying gene functions systematically and in an unbiased manner. Here, we describe how RNAi high-throughput screening (HTS) in Drosophila cells are currently being performed and emphasize the strengths and weaknesses of the approach. Further, to demonstrate the versatility of the technology, we provide examples of the various applications of the method to problems in signal transduction and cell and developmental biology. Finally, we discuss emerging technological advances that will extend RNAi-based screening methods.




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