RNA silencing is a recently identified mechanism that influences expression of genes in a wide variety of organisms, including fungi, nematodes, fruit fly (Drosophila), plants and mammalian cells.

• RNA沉默(RNA silencing)是一种在真核生物体内普遍保守的，发生在RNA水平的，基于核酸序列特异性的相互作用来抑制基因表达的调控机制。