Quantitative PCR Analysis of Double-Stranded RNA-Mediated Gene Silencing in Fungi

Gene silencing in fungi produces a range of phenotypes based on the different amounts of target mRNA that are degraded by the RNAi machinery in each transformed strain. Detection of this range of variation when analyzing groups of transformants requires a fast and sensitive method. Quantitative or real-time PCR of reverse-transcribed target mRNA is particularly well suited for this analysis.