title: Incorporation of nonnatural amino acids into proteins.
abstract: The genetic code is established by the aminoacylation of transfer RNA, reactions in which each amino acid is linked to its cognate tRNA that, in turn, harbors the nucleotide triplet (anticodon) specific to the amino acid. The accuracy of aminoacylation is essential for building and maintaining the universal tree of life. The ability to manipulate and expand the code holds promise for the development of new methods to create novel proteins and to understand the origins of life. Recent efforts to manipulate the genetic code have fulfilled much of this potential. These efforts have led to incorporation of nonnatural amino acids into proteins for a variety of applications and have demonstrated the plausibility of specific proposals for early evolution of the code.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, 1Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA. tamara.hendrickson@jhu.edu
authors.forename: Tamara L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Hendrickson
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: de Crécy-Lagard
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schimmel
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000266:history / Q000378:metabolism*; D000604:Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases / Q000378:metabolism; D003545:Cysteine / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005815:Genetic Code; D049673:History, 20th Century; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000266:history; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012346:RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012106:Research / Q000266:history; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D011506:Proteins; D016337:RNA, Catalytic; D012346:RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl; D000604:Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases; D003545:Cysteine