title: Reassignment of sense codons in vivo.
abstract: The genetic code maps one or more of the 61 sense codons onto a set of 20 canonical amino acids. Reassignment of sense codons to non-canonical amino acids in model organisms such as Escherichia coli has been achieved through manipulation of the cellular protein synthesis machinery. Specifically, control of amino acid pools, coupled with engineering of the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase activity of the host, has enabled assignment of sense codons to a wide variety of non-canonical amino acids under conditions routinely used for expression of recombinant proteins. Codon reassignment is leading to important advances in protein engineering and bioorganic chemistry. Here we summarize some of those advances, and provide detailed protocols for codon reassignment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
authors.forename: A James
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Link
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Tirrell
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D000604:Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases / Q000235:genetics*; D003062:Codon; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D005815:Genetic Code; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D015202:Protein Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D012343:RNA, Transfer / Q000378:metabolism; D012346:RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl / Q000096:biosynthesis; D046249:Transfer RNA Aminoacylation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D003062:Codon; D011506:Proteins; D012346:RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl; D012343:RNA, Transfer; D000604:Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases