I'm interested in the following question: How does the efficiency of an RNAi-mediated gene-knockdown (via RNAi by feeding) in C. elegans change when the RNAi-feeding stops after a few days?
In detail, I would have two groups which both will receive an RNAi-feeding strain, starting with L4. 3 days later, I would transfer group 1 to another plate with the same RNAi-strain and group 2 to a plate with normal bacteria and without an RNAi strain. When I measure the knockdown of the respective gene daily after that, what would be the difference in knockdown-efficiency and is this (or similar results) already published somewhere?
I did RNAi in C.elegans couples of years ago. As I remember, the knockdown efficiency really depends on many factors after you stop RNRi. The specific genes matter, the timing matters, the specific stages of worm you RNAi also matter.
I am not sure whether there are reviews on this or not, there may not be since RNAi effect on each gene differs.
I agree with Kai Hu that the result is really unpredictable. There are different RNAi mechanisms in the worm, i.e. some in the cytosol other in the nucleus. To my knowledge all use some kind of amplification loop. Thus maybe, the decrease in RNAi is not so big at all ...
I have used a similar set up for my work where I fed the worms RNAi bacteria till certain age and then changed the bacterial food. Under the conditions, I provided, the knockdown was observed on the worms even after taking them out from the RNAi plate.
Here is a paper where they have used a similar set up...
http://www.pnas.org/content/103/35/13092.full
Thank you very much for your answers!
@Kai Hu: Yes, I'm afraid you are right. Probably, I should really test the outcome of each RNAi strain gene via qPCR before and after stopping RNAi treatment to be sure.
@Elena Fitzenberger: I was also hoping that the efficiency will not really change after stopping RNAi treatment. But it is always good to have something citable or a proof for that assumption when writing a paper... :-)
@Ojas Natarajan: This is encouraging! And thanks for the paper. This is very helpful! If I do not have the time for testing it by myself I have, at least, something to cite. Thanks!
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