Conditional RNAi using the lentiviral GLTR system

Abstract

RNA interference (RNAi) has become an essential technology for functional gene analysis. Its success depends on the effective expression of target gene-specific RNAi-inducing small double-stranded interfering RNA molecules (siRNAs). Here, were describe the use of a recently developed lentiviral RNAi system that allows the rapid generation of stable cell lines with inducible RNAi based on conditional expression of double-stranded short hairpin RNA (shRNA). These lentiviral vectors can be generated rapidly using the GATEWAY recombination cloning technology. Conditional cell lines can be established by using either a two-vector system in which the regulator is encoded by a separate vector or by a one-vector system. The available different lentiviral vectors for conditional shRNA expression cassette delivery co-express additional genes that allow (1) the use of fluorescent proteins for color-coded combinatorial RNAi or monitoring RNAi induction (pGLTR-FP), (2) selection of transduced cells (pGLTR-S), and (3) the generation of conditional cell lines using a one-vector system (pGLTR-X).