The present application relates to a method for the targeted formation of heterochromatin and/or induction of epigenetic gene silencing in a cell using a small RNA, said method comprising the step of inhibiting the Paf1 complex in said cell and the step of contacting said cell with a small RNA targeted to a region of the genome of the cell, said region being the region where heterochromatin formation and/or induction of epigenetic gene silencing should be induced.