Journal of the American Chemical Society 2004-11-10

A genetically encoded photocaged amino acid.

Ning Wu, Alexander Deiters, T Ashton Cropp, David King, Peter G Schultz

Index: J. Am. Chem. Soc. 126(44) , 14306-7, (2004)

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Abstract

We have developed a second orthogonal tRNA/synthetase pair for use in yeast based on the Escherichia coli tRNALeu/leucyl tRNA-synthetase pair. Using a novel genetic selection, we have identified a series of synthetase mutants that selectively charge the amber suppresor tRNA with the C8 amino acid, alpha-aminocaprylic acid, and the photocaged amino acid, o-nitrobenzyl cysteine, allowing them to be inserted into proteins in yeast in response to the amber nonsense codon, TAG.