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Expanding the genetic code with pyroglutamate (751.1)
Author(s) -
Benhaim Mark
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.751.1
Subject(s) - genetic code , stop codon , green fluorescent protein , gene , amino acid , glutamine , biochemistry , escherichia coli , transfer rna , chemistry , computational biology , biology , rna
Pyroglutamate forms via the cyclization of glutamine residues in proteins including amyloid β‐peptides associated with Alzheimer’s disease and oconase, an anti‐cancer agent. To study the role pyroglutamate plays in these proteins, we propose expanding the E. coli genetic code to include pyroglutamate by reassigning the amber stop codon to pyroglutamate. To include amino acid, we are modifying the archaeal RNA‐dependent Gln biosynthetic pathway to synthesize pyroglutamate on an amber suppressor tRNA. The relevant genes were cloned into a vector for expression in E. coli. To determine if the system can incorporate pyroglutamate into proteins, we are developing an enhanced yellow fluorescence protein reporter system. Once established, we will use the system to test the role of the pryoglutamate in proteins. Grant Funding Source : Supported by Research Corporation