antiviral RNAi

Antiviral RNA interference (RNAi) is a natural cellular process that helps plants, animals, and fungi defend against viruses. When a virus infects a cell, it produces foreign genetic material called RNA. The cell detects this viral RNA and uses specialized molecules called small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to recognize and bind to it. This binding triggers a destruction process that breaks down the viral RNA, preventing the virus from replicating and spreading. Essentially, RNAi acts as a molecular immune system, targeting and neutralizing viral genetic material to protect the host organism.