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Science 17 May 2002:
Vol. 296. no. 5571, pp. 1263 - 1265
DOI: 10.1126/science.1072148
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RNA Silencing: The Genome's Immune System

Ronald H. A. Plasterk

Genomes are databases sensitive to invasion by viruses. In recent years, a defense mechanism has been discovered, which turns out to be conserved among eukaryotes. The system can be compared to the immune system in several ways: It has specificity against foreign elements and the ability to amplify and raise a massive response against an invading nucleic acid. The latter property is beginning to be understood at the molecular level.

Hubrecht Laboratory, Centre for Biomedical Genetics, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT Utrecht, Netherlands. E-mail: Plasterk{at}niob.knaw.nl

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)