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Genetic Code Expansion Facilitates Position‐Selective Modification of Nucleic Acids and Proteins
Author(s) -
Müller Diana,
Trucks Sven,
Schwalbe Harald,
Hengesbach Martin
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
chempluschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.801
H-Index - 61
ISSN - 2192-6506
DOI - 10.1002/cplu.202000150
Subject(s) - genetic code , nucleic acid , nucleobase , computational biology , biomolecule , translation (biology) , amino acid , toolbox , computer science , chemistry , dna , biology , biochemistry , gene , programming language , messenger rna
Transcription and translation obey to the genetic code of four nucleobases and 21 amino acids evolved over billions of years. Both these processes have been engineered to facilitate the use of non‐natural building blocks in both nucleic acids and proteins, enabling researchers with a decent toolbox for structural and functional analyses. Here, we review the most common approaches for how labeling of both nucleic acids as well as proteins in a site‐selective fashion with either modifiable building blocks or spectroscopic probes can be facilitated by genetic code expansion. We emphasize methodological approaches and how these can be adapted for specific modifications, both during as well as after biomolecule synthesis. These modifications can facilitate, for example, a number of different spectroscopic analysis techniques and can under specific circumstances even be used in combination.