Work

Playing with the Molecules of Life

Year: 2018

Type: review

Abstract: Our understanding of the complex molecular processes of living organisms at the molecular level is growing exponentially. This knowledge, together with a powerful arsenal of tools for manipulating the structures of macromolecules, is allowing chemists to to harness and reprogram the cellular machinery in ways previously unimaged. Here we review one example in which the genetic code itself has been expanded with new building blocks that allow us to probe and manipulate the structures and functions of proteins with unprecedented precision.

Source: ACS Chemical Biology

DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.7b00974

Authors: Douglas D. Young, Peter G. Schultz

Institutions: William & Mary, Scripps Research Institute

Language: English

Topic: RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: U.S. Department of Energy, Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, National Collegiate Athletic Association, National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Awards: G1755451879, BIOPOLYMERS CONTAINING UNNATURAL BUILDING BLOCKS, In Vivo Incorporation of Unnatural Amino Acids, Bioconjugations Employing Unnatural Amino Acids