Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, South Bend, IN, United States.
Curr Drug Targets. 2019;20(9):942-952. doi: 10.2174/1389450120666181126123538.
The broad application of RNA interference for disease prevention is dependent upon the production of dsRNA in an economically feasible, scalable, and sustainable fashion, as well as the identification of safe and effective methods for RNA delivery. Current research has sparked interest in the use of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for these applications. This review examines the potential for commercial development of yeast interfering RNA expression and delivery systems. S. cerevisiae is a genetic model organism that lacks a functional RNA interference system, which may make it an ideal system for expression and accumulation of high levels of recombinant interfering RNA. Moreover, recent studies in a variety of eukaryotic species suggest that this microbe may be an excellent and safe system for interfering RNA delivery. Key areas for further research and development include optimization of interfering RNA expression in S. cerevisiae, industrial-sized scaling of recombinant yeast cultures in which interfering RNA molecules are expressed, the development of methods for largescale drying of yeast that preserve interfering RNA integrity, and identification of encapsulating agents that promote yeast stability in various environmental conditions. The genetic tractability of S. cerevisiae and a long history of using this microbe in both the food and pharmaceutical industry will facilitate further development of this promising new technology, which has many potential applications of medical importance.
RNA 干扰在疾病预防中的广泛应用取决于以经济可行、可扩展和可持续的方式生产双链 RNA，以及确定安全有效的 RNA 递送方法。目前的研究激发了人们对使用酿酒酵母进行这些应用的兴趣。本文综述了酵母干扰 RNA 表达和递送系统商业化开发的潜力。酿酒酵母是一种遗传模式生物，缺乏功能性 RNA 干扰系统，这使其成为表达和积累高水平重组干扰 RNA 的理想系统。此外，最近在多种真核生物中的研究表明，这种微生物可能是一种极好且安全的干扰 RNA 递送系统。进一步研究和开发的关键领域包括优化酿酒酵母中的干扰 RNA 表达、在表达干扰 RNA 分子的重组酵母培养物中进行工业规模放大、开发大规模干燥酵母的方法以保持干扰 RNA 完整性，以及鉴定促进酵母在各种环境条件下稳定性的包封剂。酿酒酵母的遗传可操作性以及在食品和制药行业中使用该微生物的悠久历史将促进这项有前途的新技术的进一步发展，该技术在医学上具有许多潜在的应用。
