Description
The Dicer siRNA Generation Kit allows easy and cost-effective generation of a large number of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) from full-length target genes (1). siRNAs are 21- to 23-nucleotide RNA molecules that can cause targeted gene silencing in mammalian cells through a process known as RNA interference (2,3,4). In nature, siRNAs are generated by ribonuclease III cleavage of longer double stranded RNAs (dsRNAs). When dsRNAs are transfected directly into mammalian cells, they activate the interferon system and provoke non-specific gene suppression and cytotoxic response (2). siRNAs have proven to be effective at specifically silencing gene expression without causing any interferon response.
The Dicer siRNA Generation Kit mimics the natural RNA interference process by using recombinant human dicer enzyme, a double-stranded RNA-specific endonuclease, to cleave in vitro transcribed dsRNA templates into a pool of 22 bp siRNAs (Figure 1, 2).

For maximum convenience, the Dicer siRNA Generation Kit contains everything that is required for preparing double stranded RNA, RNA cleavage, siRNA cleanup and transfection. Both the Recombinant Dicer Enzyme and the RNA Purification Columns are also available separately.

Contents
Sufficient material is provided for transcribing, cleaving, and transfecting siRNAs for 50 transfection experiments in 24-well plates and with up to 5 different genes.

Storage
The Dicer siRNA Generation Kit is shipped frozen. Both the TurboScript™ T7 Transcription Kit and the recombinant human dicer enzyme should be stored at –20°C upon receipt. If stored properly, all reagents are stable for 6 months.

References:
1. Myers, J.W. et al. (2003) Nature Biotechnology 21: 324-328.
2. Elbashir, S.M. et al. (2001) Nature 411: 494-498.
3. Caplen, N.J. et al. (2001) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 98: 9742-9747.
4. Sharp, P.A. (2001) Genes and Development 15: 485-490.