Biomaterial Database

Incorporation of non-natural amino acids into proteins. 2002

Takahiro Hohsaka, and Masahiko Sisido

Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Okayama University, 3-1-1 Tsushimanaka, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan.

Chemical and biological diversity of protein structures and functions can be widely expanded by position-specific incorporation of non-natural amino acids carrying a variety of specialty side groups. After the pioneering works of Schultz's group and Chamberlin's group in 1989, noticeable progress has been made in expanding types of amino acids, in finding novel methods of tRNA aminoacylation and in extending genetic codes for directing the positions. Aminoacylation of tRNA with non-natural amino acids has been achieved by directed evolution of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases or some ribozymes. Codons have been extended to include four-base codons or non-natural base pairs. Multiple incorporation of different non-natural amino acids has been achieved by the use of a different four-base codon for each tRNA. The combination of these novel techniques has opened the possibility of synthesising non-natural mutant proteins in living cells.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011506	Proteins	Linear POLYPEPTIDES that are synthesized on RIBOSOMES and may be further modified, crosslinked, cleaved, or assembled into complex proteins with several subunits. The specific sequence of AMINO ACIDS determines the shape the polypeptide will take, during PROTEIN FOLDING, and the function of the protein.	Gene Products, Protein,Gene Proteins,Protein,Protein Gene Products,Proteins, Gene
D003062	Codon	A set of three nucleotides in a protein coding sequence that specifies individual amino acids or a termination signal (CODON, TERMINATOR). Most codons are universal, but some organisms do not produce the transfer RNAs (RNA, TRANSFER) complementary to all codons. These codons are referred to as unassigned codons (CODONS, NONSENSE).	Codon, Sense,Sense Codon,Codons,Codons, Sense,Sense Codons
D000215	Acylation	The addition of an organic acid radical into a molecule.
D000596	Amino Acids	Organic compounds that generally contain an amino (-NH2) and a carboxyl (-COOH) group. Twenty alpha-amino acids are the subunits which are polymerized to form proteins.	Amino Acid,Acid, Amino,Acids, Amino
D000604	Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases	A subclass of enzymes that aminoacylate AMINO ACID-SPECIFIC TRANSFER RNA with their corresponding AMINO ACIDS.	Amino Acyl T RNA Synthetases,Amino Acyl-tRNA Ligases,Aminoacyl Transfer RNA Synthetase,Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetase,Transfer RNA Synthetase,tRNA Synthetase,Acyl-tRNA Ligases, Amino,Acyl-tRNA Synthetases, Amino,Amino Acyl tRNA Ligases,Amino Acyl tRNA Synthetases,Aminoacyl tRNA Synthetase,Ligases, Amino Acyl-tRNA,RNA Synthetase, Transfer,Synthetase, Aminoacyl-tRNA,Synthetase, Transfer RNA,Synthetase, tRNA,Synthetases, Amino Acyl-tRNA
D000926	Anticodon	The sequential set of three nucleotides in TRANSFER RNA that interacts with its complement in MESSENGER RNA, the CODON, during translation in the ribosome.	Anticodons
D012343	RNA, Transfer	The small RNA molecules, 73-80 nucleotides long, that function during translation (TRANSLATION, GENETIC) to align AMINO ACIDS at the RIBOSOMES in a sequence determined by the mRNA (RNA, MESSENGER). There are about 30 different transfer RNAs. Each recognizes a specific CODON set on the mRNA through its own ANTICODON and as aminoacyl tRNAs (RNA, TRANSFER, AMINO ACYL), each carries a specific amino acid to the ribosome to add to the elongating peptide chains.	Suppressor Transfer RNA,Transfer RNA,tRNA,RNA, Transfer, Suppressor,Transfer RNA, Suppressor,RNA, Suppressor Transfer
D016296	Mutagenesis	Process of generating a genetic MUTATION. It may occur spontaneously or be induced by MUTAGENS.	Mutageneses