title: Flexizymes for genetic code reprogramming.
abstract: Genetic code reprogramming is a method for the reassignment of arbitrary codons from proteinogenic amino acids to nonproteinogenic ones; thus, specific sequences of nonstandard peptides can be ribosomally expressed according to their mRNA templates. Here we describe a protocol that facilitates genetic code reprogramming using flexizymes integrated with a custom-made in vitro translation apparatus, referred to as the flexible in vitro translation (FIT) system. Flexizymes are flexible tRNA acylation ribozymes that enable the preparation of a diverse array of nonproteinogenic acyl-tRNAs. These acyl-tRNAs read vacant codons created in the FIT system, yielding the desired nonstandard peptides with diverse exotic structures, such as N-methyl amino acids, D-amino acids and physiologically stable macrocyclic scaffolds. The facility of the protocol allows a wide variety of applications in the synthesis of new classes of nonstandard peptides with biological functions. Preparation of flexizymes and tRNA used for genetic code reprogramming, optimization of flexizyme reaction conditions and expression of nonstandard peptides using the FIT system can be completed by one person in approximately 1 week. However, once the flexizymes and tRNAs are in hand and reaction conditions are fixed, synthesis of acyl-tRNAs and peptide expression is generally completed in 1 d, and alteration of a peptide sequence can be achieved by simply changing the corresponding mRNA template.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katoh
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suga
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005815:Genetic Code; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D015202:Protein Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D046249:Transfer RNA Aminoacylation
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D010455:Peptides; D016337:RNA, Catalytic