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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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Prof. Floyd Romesberg, The Scripps Research Institute
Efforts toward the expansion of the genetic alphabet
Expansion of the genetic alphabet to include a third base pair would be a fundamental accomplishment that would not only have immediate utility for a number of applications, such as site-specific oligonucleotide labeling, but would also lay the foundation for a semi-synthetic organism. We have developed an unnatural base pair, d5SICS-dNaM, that forms based on packing and hydrophobic interactions rather than complementary H-bonding. d5SICS-dNaM, as well as derivatives with linkers attached for site-specific labeling of DNA or RNA, is replicated and transcribed with excellent efficiency and fidelity. Structural studies, as well as several applications, including ongoing selections for unnatural DNAzymes will be discussed. Finally, we are supplementing these efforts with directed evolution to tailor DNA polymerases to more efficiently replicate DNA containing d5SICS-dNaM.
For more information contact Prof. Andrew Lyon (404-894-4090).
