Silencing of a gene could be achieved through the use of

Options

A. RNAi only
B. antisense RNA only
C. both RNAi and antisense RNA
D. none of the above

Answer

To answer the question about how gene silencing can be achieved, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Gene Silencing**: Gene silencing refers to the process of preventing the expression of a specific gene, which can be achieved through various molecular techniques.

2. **Identifying Methods for Gene Silencing**: Two primary methods for gene silencing are:
- **RNA Interference (RNAi)**: A biological process in which RNA molecules inhibit gene expression by destroying specific mRNA molecules.
- **Antisense RNA**: This involves using a strand of RNA that is complementary to the mRNA of the target gene. When the antisense RNA binds to the mRNA, it prevents translation into protein.

3. **Mechanism of RNA Interference**: In RNA interference, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) is introduced into the cell. This dsRNA is processed into small interfering RNA (siRNA), which then binds to the complementary mRNA and leads to its degradation, thus preventing translation.

4. **Mechanism of Antisense RNA**: Antisense RNA works by hybridizing with the target mRNA, blocking its translation by preventing ribosome binding or promoting degradation of the mRNA.

5. **Conclusion**: Both RNA interference and antisense RNA can effectively silence genes by preventing the translation of mRNA into protein. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is that gene silencing can be achieved through the use of both RNA interference and antisense RNA.

### Final Answer:
Gene silencing could be achieved through the use of both RNA interference and antisense RNA.

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