Method of regulating gene expression

摘要

The present invention relates, in general, to gene expression and, in particular, to a method of inhibiting the expression of a target gene and to constructs suitable for use in such a method.

主权项

1. A composition comprising a carrier and a DNA construct comprising a constitutive or inducible promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid comprising a sequence encoding an artificial micro RNA (miRNA) precursor, wherein said artificial miRNA precursor is a naturally occurring miRNA precursor a portion of the stem of the stem loop structure of said naturally occurring miRNA precursor being substituted by an exogenous sequence complementary to a portion of an RNA transcript of a target gene in a cell,
wherein, following introduction of said construct into said cell: i) said nucleic acid is transcribed so that a transcript comprising said artificial miRNA precursor is produced, ii) said transcript resulting from step (i) is processed so that said artificial miRNA precursor is excised therefrom, iii) said artificial miRNA precursor resulting from step (ii) is processed so that a mature miRNA about 21 or 22 nucleotides in length is excised from said artificial miRNA precursor, and iv) inhibition of expression of said gene is effected.