Science 2003-08-15

An expanded eukaryotic genetic code.

Jason W Chin, T Ashton Cropp, J Christopher Anderson, Mridul Mukherji, Zhiwen Zhang, Peter G Schultz

Index: Science 301(5635) , 964-7, (2003)

Full Text: HTML

Abstract

We describe a general and rapid route for the addition of unnatural amino acids to the genetic code of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Five amino acids have been incorporated into proteins efficiently and with high fidelity in response to the nonsense codon TAG. The side chains of these amino acids contain a keto group, which can be uniquely modified in vitro and in vivo with a wide range of chemical probes and reagents; a heavy atom-containing amino acid for structural studies; and photocrosslinkers for cellular studies of protein interactions. This methodology not only removes the constraints imposed by the genetic code on our ability to manipulate protein structure and function in yeast, it provides a gateway to the systematic expansion of the genetic codes of multicellular eukaryotes.