title: Replicating an expanded genetic alphabet in cells.
abstract: Recent advances in synthetic biology have made it possible to replicate an unnatural base pair in living cells. This study highlights the technologies developed to create a semisynthetic organism with an expanded genetic alphabet and the potential challenges of moving forward.
authors.affiliation: Center for Evolutionary Medicine and Bioinformatics, The Biodesign Institute, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5301 (USA). john.chaput@asu.edu.
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chaput
mesh_terms: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D020029:Base Pairing; D002477:Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000502:physiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005815:Genetic Code; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D058615:Synthetic Biology
chemical_list: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D004247:DNA
keywords: expanded genetic alphabet; synthetic biology; unnatural base pairs; xenobiotic nucleic acid (XNA)