Modeling and Optimization of Genetic Screens via RNA Interference and FACS

We study mathematically a method for discovering which gene is related to a cell phenotype of interest. The method is based on RNA interference — a molecular process for gene deactivation — and on coupling the phenotype with fluorescence in a FACS machine. A small number of candidate genes are thus isolated, and then tested individually. We model probabilistically this process, prove a limit theorem for its outcome, and derive operational guidelines for maximizing the probability of successful gene discovery.