title: From phosphorous to arsenic: changing the classic paradigm for the structure of biomolecules.
abstract: Biomolecules are composed primarily of the elements carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and phosphorus. The structured assembly of these elements forms the basis for proteins, nucleic acids and lipids. However, the recent discovery of a new bacterium, strain GFAJ-1 of the Halomonadaceae, has shaken the classic paradigms for the architecture of life. Mounting evidence supports the claim that these bacteria substitute arsenic for phosphorus in macromolecules. Herein, we provide a brief commentary and fuel the debate related to what may be a most unusual organism.
authors: Department of Microbiology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1052, USA. knodle@rams.colostate.edu.
authors: Ryan
authors: R
authors: Knodle
authors: Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA. pratima2@bu.edu.
authors: Pratima
authors: P
authors: Agarwal
authors: Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1052, USA. M.Brown@colostate.edu.
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Brown