The development of multicellular organisms and the operation of complex cellular function requires not only perfect orchestration of gene expression but also a precise spatial and temporal control of gene silencing. Gene silencing mechanisms are diverse and exquisitely refined. These mechanisms operate at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, or during meiosis; they use a variety of cellular components such as cis-DNA elements, chromatin modifications, small and non-coding RNAs and specific protein factors responsible for the initiation, operation and readout of silencing.
Common scenarios of gene silencing are found in plants, insects, worms and mammals. Yet each organism reveal specific adaptations and regulations. Those are important to elucidate, not only for philosophical purposes (with the meaning of studying and understanding general and fundamental problems) but also for medical or biotechnological applications.
This Special issue of "Genes" welcomes reviews and original papers covering recent research in gene silencing at the mechanistic and regulation levels in different organisms, but also research bridging gene silencing and cellular function, development or biotechnological applications