title: An in vitro selection system for TNA.
abstract: (3'-2')-alpha-l-Threose nucleic acid (TNA) is an unnatural polymer that possesses the rare ability to base-pair with RNA, DNA, and itself. This feature, coupled with its chemical simplicity, makes TNA of interest as a possible progenitor of RNA during the early history of life. To evaluate the functional potential of TNA, we have developed a system for the in vitro selection of TNA. We identified the Therminator DNA polymerase as a remarkably efficient DNA-dependent TNA polymerase capable of polymerizing more than 50 tNTPs. We have also developed a method of covalently linking a DNA template to the TNA strand that it encodes, thus obviating the need for a TNA-dependent DNA polymerase during cycles of selection.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Justin K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Ichida
authors.forename: Keyong
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Allen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horhota
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Larry W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
authors.forename: Jack W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Szostak
mesh_terms: D019843:Archaeal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000737:chemistry*; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000737:chemistry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D013780:Tetroses / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D019843:Archaeal Proteins; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D013780:Tetroses; D004247:DNA; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; C073321:erythrose
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