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Title: Synthetic Biology Pathway to Nucleoside Triphosphates for Expanded Genetic Alphabets
: One horizon in synthetic biology seeks alternative forms of DNA that store, transcribe, and support the evolution of biological information. Here, hydrogen bond donor and acceptor groups are rearranged within a Watson−Crick geometry to get 12 nucleotides that form 6 independently replicating pairs. Such artificially expanded genetic information systems (AEGIS) support Darwinian evolution in vitro. To move AEGIS into living cells, metabolic pathways are next required to make AEGIS triphosphates economically from their nucleosides, eliminating the need to feed these expensive compounds in growth media. We report that “polyphosphate kinases” can be recruited for such pathways, working with natural diphosphate kinases and engineered nucleoside kinases. This pathway in vitro makes AEGIS triphosphates, including third-generation triphosphates having improved ability to survive in living bacterial cells. In α32P-labeled forms, produced here for the first time, they were used to study DNA polymerases, finding cases where third-generation AEGIS triphosphates perform better with natural enzymes than second-generation AEGIS triphosphates.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2123995
PAR ID:
10556859
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
ACS Synthetic Biology
Date Published:
Journal Name:
ACS Synthetic Biology
Volume:
12
Issue:
6
ISSN:
2161-5063
Page Range / eLocation ID:
1772 to 1781
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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