RNAi in Drosophila S2 Cells by dsRNA Soaking

This is a simple method for inducing RNAi in Drosophila S2 cells by soaking the cells in medium containing dsRNAs. In comparison with transfection, soaking requires fewer procedures and avoids the cost of transfection reagents, making it the method of choice for high-throughput RNAi screening. Moreover, soaking avoids potential toxicity associated with transfection reagents. However, delivery of dsRNA to S2 cells by soaking is less efficient than transfection, and genes whose expression has proved difficult to repress using soaked dsRNA often can be suppressed by transfecting the dsRNA multiple times.