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A tilted LED screen showing color-coded DNA sequences.
Expanding the Genetic Alphabet
Synthetic biologists repurposed rarely used codons to install novel amino acids into proteins and expand the capabilities of protein engineering.
Expanding the Genetic Alphabet
Expanding the Genetic Alphabet

Synthetic biologists repurposed rarely used codons to install novel amino acids into proteins and expand the capabilities of protein engineering.

Synthetic biologists repurposed rarely used codons to install novel amino acids into proteins and expand the capabilities of protein engineering.

codons

Artist&rsquo;s rendering of bright orange <em >E. coli&nbsp;</em>bacteria
New Synthetic E. coli Is Immune to Bacteriophage Infection
Anna Napolitano, PhD | Mar 30, 2023 | 3 min read
Self-contained synthetic E. coli resistant to viral infection could prove invaluable to the biotechnology industry by increasing product consistency and reducing safety concerns. 
Artist’s rendering of the protein synthesis process, in which a tRNA molecules carry amino acids to a ribosome that’s decoding a strand of mRNA.
Screen of 250,000 Species Reveals Tweaks to Genetic Code
Dan Robitzski | Nov 9, 2021 | 5 min read
A massive screen of bacterial and archaeal genomes revealed five previously unknown instances where an organism uses an alternate code to translate genetic blueprints into proteins.
Most Extensive Synthetic Genome Project to Date
Ashley P. Taylor | May 16, 2019 | 2 min read
Study shows the viability of bacteria with human-made, recoded DNA.
Protozoans Found With No Dedicated Stop Codons
Karen Zusi | Oct 1, 2016 | 3 min read
Some ciliates use the same trio of nucleotides to code for an amino acid and to stop translation.
Ciliates Are Genetic-Code Deviants
Karen Zusi | Sep 30, 2016 | 1 min read
Traditional stop codons have a double meaning in the protozoans' mRNA, sometimes calling for an amino acid during translation.
Streamlining the E. coli Genetic Code
Karen Zusi | Aug 18, 2016 | 3 min read
Scientists design a bacterial genome with only 57 codons.
Reducing Repetition While Building Biopolymers
Kate Yandell | Jan 11, 2016 | 3 min read
A free algorithm helps synthetic biologists decide which codons to use to encode repetitive proteins using the least-repetitive DNA sequence possible.
Week in Review: May 19–23
Tracy Vence | May 23, 2014 | 3 min read
Sperm-sex–sensing sows; blocking a pain receptor extends lifespan in mice; stop codons can code for amino acids; exploring the tumor exome
When Stop Means Go
Ruth Williams | May 22, 2014 | 3 min read
A survey of trillions of base pairs of microbial DNA reveals a considerable degree of stop codon reassignment.
Recoding Life
Laasya Samhita | Jan 2, 2014 | 6 min read
Rewriting the genetic code can lead to a better understanding of how living cells work, and spawn new biotechnological applications.
Pioneer DNA Researcher Dies
Jef Akst | Oct 2, 2012 | 1 min read
Leonard Lerman, who helped elucidate the process from gene to protein, passed away last month at age 87.
Going Strong at 75
Horace Freeland Judson | Mar 17, 2002 | 10+ min read
Roger Kornberg, one of Arthur's boys, has a Sydney Brenner story. We all do, but his is more telling than most.
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