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Experimental challenges of sense codon reassignment: An innovative approach to genetic code expansion
Author(s) -
Krishnakumar Radha,
Ling Jiqiang
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2013.11.039
Subject(s) - genetic code , computational biology , stop codon , codon usage bias , amino acid , genome , code (set theory) , computer science , variety (cybernetics) , genetics , biology , gene , programming language , artificial intelligence , set (abstract data type)
The addition of new and versatile chemical and biological properties to proteins pursued through incorporation of non‐canonical amino acids is at present primarily achieved by stop codon suppression. However, it is critical to find new “blank” codons to increase the variety and efficiency of such insertions, thereby taking ‘sense codon recoding’ to center stage in the field of genetic code expansion. Current thought optimistically suggests the use of the pyrrolysine system coupled with re‐synthesis of genomic information towards achieving sense codon reassignment. Upon review of the serious experimental challenges reported in recent studies, we propose that success in this area will depend on the re‐synthesis of genomes, but also on ‘rewiring’ the mechanism of protein synthesis and of its quality control.