Sigma-Aldrich Expands shRNA Libraries of the RNAi Consortium

Sigma-Aldrich (Nasdaq: SIAL), a leading Life Science and High Technology company, proudly announces the newest release of the MISSION™ TRC shRNA human and mouse libraries for RNA interference (RNAi)-based research.

The collection now carries approximately 65,000 shRNA vector constructs that target 9,500 human genes and 3,400 mouse genes. The newly added libraries include extensive coverage of the druggable genome and other highly studied targets. Each clone is available from Sigma-Aldrich in bacterial glycerol stock, ready-to-transfect purified plasmid DNA, and lentiviral particles for direct transduction. Sigma-Aldrich is the exclusive source of the TRC shRNA libraries in the plasmid DNA and lentiviral formats. The lentiviral-based shRNA libraries provide researchers with tools for studying gene function and disease in standard cell lines and recognized difficult cell types, such as primary, non- dividing, growth-arrested or terminally differentiated cells.

Such cell lines are typically not amenable to standard transfection or genomic integration by other viral delivery systems, but they may be transduced efficiently with lentiviral particles. Harvard University and The Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Design are leading the design and development of the TRC libraries, which will be expanded on a quarterly basis to include new gene targets. Eventually, the libraries will comprise a comprehensive collection of 150,000 pre-cloned lentiviral-based shRNA vector constructs targeting 15,000 human genes (MISSION TRC-Hs1.0) and 15,000 mouse genes (MISSION TRC-Mm1.0).