RNA Interference (RNAi) has evolved as a mechanism with in cells for regulating transcript levels of genes. Regulation is specific to target transcripts based upon complementary sequences. RNAi is mediated by double stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules that are processed from a more complex RNA molecule that is transcribed from the genome.
Previous work has demonstrated that in vitro transcribed and in planta expressed dsRNA can be taken up by plant parasitic nematodes and result in down regulation of the targetted transcript.