The flexizyme system: a highly flexible tRNA aminoacylation tool for the translation apparatus.
Flexizymes are de novo ribozymes capable of charging a wide variety of non-natural amino acids on tRNAs. The flexizyme system enables reprogramming of the genetic code by reassigning the codons that are generally assigned to natural amino acids to non-natural residues, and thus mRNA-directed synthesis of non-natural polypeptides can be achieved. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the history of the flexizyme system and its subsequent development into a practical tool. Furthermore, applications to the synthesis of novel biopolymers via genetic code reprogramming and perspectives for future applications are described.
Ohuchi
Masaki
M
Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan.
Murakami
Hiroshi
H
Suga
Hiroaki
H
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000235:genetics*; D003062:Codon; D015195:Drug Design; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000235:genetics*; D046249:Transfer RNA Aminoacylation
D000596:Amino Acids; D003062:Codon; D016337:RNA, Catalytic