1
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Zhu G, Zhang H, Han L, Wang H, Zhu A, Li L. Solvent-Driven Room-Temperature Curtius Rearrangements to Access Nucleotides Bearing Substituted Fused Pyridones. Org Lett 2024; 26:4356-4360. [PMID: 38739349 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.4c01403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
The intramolecular Curtius rearrangement suffers from a high reaction temperature, low yields, tedious product isolation, and difficult scale up. This study presents a room-temperature Curtius rearrangement that can be novelly driven by the HFIP solvent, followed by light-illuminated intramolecular cyclization. Such a mild reaction allows for the preparation of various fused pyridone derivatives with diverse substituent groups that have rarely been incorporated by previous methods. The roles of HFIP and light are investigated by a set of control experiments through a combination of IR and NMR titration. Furthermore, using the substituted fused pyridones as unnatural bases, we can obtain a panel of new nucleotides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gongming Zhu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drugs, Pingyuan Laboratory, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Haiyang Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drugs, Pingyuan Laboratory, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Liyang Han
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drugs, Pingyuan Laboratory, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Honglei Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drugs, Pingyuan Laboratory, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Anlian Zhu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drugs, Pingyuan Laboratory, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Lingjun Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drugs, Pingyuan Laboratory, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
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2
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Debnath T, Cisneros GA. Investigation of the stability of D5SIC-DNAM-incorporated DNA duplex in Taq polymerase binary system: a systematic classical MD approach. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:7287-7295. [PMID: 38353000 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp05571j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
DNA polymerases are fundamental enzymes that play a crucial role in processing DNA with high fidelity and accuracy ensuring the faithful transmission of genetic information. The recognition of unnatural base pairs (UBPs) by polymerases, enabling their replication, represents a significant and groundbreaking discovery with profound implications for genetic expansion. Romesberg et al. examined the impact of DNA containing 2,6-dimethyl-2H-isoquiniline-1-thione: D5SIC (DS) and 2-methoxy-3-methylnaphthalene: DNAM (DN) UBPs bound to T. aquaticus DNA polymerase (Taq) through crystal structure analysis. Here, we have used polarizable and nonpolarizable classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the structural aspects and stability of Taq in complex with a DNA duplex including a DS-DN pair in the terminal 3' and 5' positions. Our results suggest that the flexibility of UBP-incorporated DNA in the terminal position is arrested by the polymerase, thus preventing fraying and mispairing. Our investigation also reveals that the UBP remains in an intercalated conformation inside the active site, exhibiting two distinct orientations in agreement with experimental findings. Our analysis pinpoints particular residues responsible for favorable interactions with the UBP, with some relying on van der Waals interactions while other on Coulombic forces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanay Debnath
- Department of Physics, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, Dallas, USA.
| | - G Andrés Cisneros
- Department of Physics, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, Dallas, USA.
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, Dallas, USA
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3
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Huo B, Wang C, Hu X, Wang H, Zhu G, Zhu A, Li L. Peripheral substitution effects on unnatural base pairs: A case of brominated TPT3 to enhance replication fidelity. Bioorg Chem 2023; 140:106827. [PMID: 37683537 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
The high fidelity poses a central role in developing unnatural base pairs (UBPs), which means the high pairing capacity of unnatural bases with their partners, and low mispairing with all the natural bases. Different strategies have been used to develop higher-fidelity UBPs, including optimizing hydrophobic interaction forces between UBPs. Variant substituent groups are allowed to fine tune the hydrophobic forces of different UBPs' candidates. However, the modifications on the skeleton of TPT3 base are rare and the replication fidelity of TPT3-NaM remains hardly to improve so far. In this paper, we reasoned that modifying and/or expanding the aromatic surface by Bromo-substituents to slightly increase hydrophobicity of TPT3 might offer a way to increase the fidelity of this pair. Based on the hypothesis, we synthesized the bromine substituted TPT3, 2-bromo-TPT3 and 2, 4-dibromo-TPT3 as the new TPT3 analogs. While the enzyme reaction kinetic experiments showed that d2-bromo-TPT3-dNaM pair and d2, 4-dibromo-TPT3TP-dNaM pair had slightly less efficient incorporation and extension rates than that of dTPT3-dNaM pair, the assays did reveal that the mispairing of 2-bromo-TPT3 and 2, 4-dibromo-TPT3 with all the natural bases could dramatically decrease in contrast to TPT3. Their lower mispairing capacity promoted us to run polymerase chain amplification reactions, and a higher fidelity of d2-bromo-TPT3-dNaM pair could be obtained with 99.72 ± 0.01% of the in vitro replication fidelity than that of dTPT3-dNaM pair, 99.52 ± 0.09%. In addition, d2-bromo-TPT3-dNaM can also be effectively copied in E. coli cells, which showed the same replication fidelity as that of dTPT3-dNaM in the specific sequence, but a higher fidelity in the random sequence context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianbian Huo
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, China Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Chao Wang
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, China Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Xiaoqi Hu
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, China Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Honglei Wang
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, China Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Gongming Zhu
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, China Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Anlian Zhu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Lingjun Li
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, China Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China; Pingyuan Laboratory, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China.
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4
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Dörrenhaus R, Wagner PK, Kath-Schorr S. Two are not enough: synthetic strategies and applications of unnatural base pairs. Biol Chem 2023; 404:883-896. [PMID: 37354104 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2023-0169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid chemistry is a rapidly evolving field, and the need for novel nucleotide modifications and artificial nucleotide building blocks for diagnostic and therapeutic use, material science or for studying cellular processes continues unabated. This review focusses on the development and application of unnatural base pairs as part of an expanded genetic alphabet. Not only recent developments in "nature-like" artificial base pairs are presented, but also current synthetic methods to get access to C-glycosidic nucleotides. Wide-ranging viability in synthesis is a prerequisite for the successful use of unnatural base pairs in a broader spectrum and will be discussed.
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Negi I, Singh B, Singh Mahmi A, Sharma P. Structural Properties of Hachimoji Nucleic Acids and Their Building Blocks: Comparison of Genetic Systems with Four, Six and Eight Alphabets. Chemphyschem 2023; 24:e202200714. [PMID: 36315394 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202200714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Expansion of the genetic alphabet is an ambitious goal. A recent breakthrough has led to the eight-base (hachimoji) genetics having canonical and unnatural bases. However, very little is known on the molecular-level features that facilitate the candidature of unnatural bases as genetic alphabets. Here we amalgamated DFT calculations and MD simulations to analyse the properties of the constituents of hachimoji DNA and RNA. DFT reveals the dominant syn conformation for isolated unnatural deoxyribonucleosides and at the 5'-end of oligonucleotides, although an anti/syn mixture is predicted at the nonterminal and 3'-terminal positions. However, isolated ribonucleotides prefer an anti/syn mixture, but mostly prefer anti conformation at the nonterminal positions. Further, the canonical base pairing combinations reveals significant strength, which may facilitate replication of hachimoji DNA. We also identify noncanonical base pairs that can better tolerate the substitution of unnatural pairs in RNA. Stacking strengths of 51 dimers reveals higher average stacking stabilization of dimers of hachimoji bases than canonical bases, which provides clues for choosing energetically stable sequences. A total of 14.4 μs MD simulations reveal the influence of solvent on the properties of hachimoji oligonucleotides and point to the likely fidelity of replication of hachimoji DNA. Our results pinpoint the features that explain the experimentally observed stability of hachimoji DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indu Negi
- Computational Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Centre for Advanced Studies in Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India
| | - Bimaldeep Singh
- Computational Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Centre for Advanced Studies in Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India
| | - Amanpreet Singh Mahmi
- Computational Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Centre for Advanced Studies in Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India
| | - Purshotam Sharma
- Computational Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Centre for Advanced Studies in Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Ave., Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada
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6
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Romesberg FE. Discovery, implications and initial use of semi-synthetic organisms with an expanded genetic alphabet/code. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220030. [PMID: 36633274 PMCID: PMC9835597 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Much recent interest has focused on developing proteins for human use, such as in medicine. However, natural proteins are made up of only a limited number of canonical amino acids with limited functionalities, and this makes the discovery of variants with some functions difficult. The ability to recombinantly express proteins containing non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) with properties selected to impart the protein with desired properties is expected to dramatically improve the discovery of proteins with different functions. Perhaps the most straightforward approach to such an expansion of the genetic code is through expansion of the genetic alphabet, so that new codon/anticodon pairs can be created to assign to ncAAs. In this review, I briefly summarize more than 20 years of effort leading ultimately to the discovery of synthetic nucleotides that pair to form an unnatural base pair, which when incorporated into DNA, is stably maintained, transcribed and used to translate proteins in Escherichia coli. In addition to discussing wide ranging conceptual implications, I also describe ongoing efforts at the pharmaceutical company Sanofi to employ the resulting 'semi-synthetic organisms' or SSOs, for the production of next-generation protein therapeutics. This article is part of the theme issue 'Reactivity and mechanism in chemical and synthetic biology'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floyd E. Romesberg
- Platform Innovation, Synthorx, a Sanofi Company, 11099 N. Torrey Pines Road, Suite 190, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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7
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Sun L, Ma X, Zhang B, Qin Y, Ma J, Du Y, Chen T. From polymerase engineering to semi-synthetic life: artificial expansion of the central dogma. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:1173-1197. [PMID: 36320892 PMCID: PMC9533422 DOI: 10.1039/d2cb00116k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acids have been extensively modified in different moieties to expand the scope of genetic materials in the past few decades. While the development of unnatural base pairs (UBPs) has expanded the genetic information capacity of nucleic acids, the production of synthetic alternatives of DNA and RNA has increased the types of genetic information carriers and introduced novel properties and functionalities into nucleic acids. Moreover, the efforts of tailoring DNA polymerases (DNAPs) and RNA polymerases (RNAPs) to be efficient unnatural nucleic acid polymerases have enabled broad application of these unnatural nucleic acids, ranging from production of stable aptamers to evolution of novel catalysts. The introduction of unnatural nucleic acids into living organisms has also started expanding the central dogma in vivo. In this article, we first summarize the development of unnatural nucleic acids with modifications or alterations in different moieties. The strategies for engineering DNAPs and RNAPs are then extensively reviewed, followed by summarization of predominant polymerase mutants with good activities for synthesizing, reverse transcribing, or even amplifying unnatural nucleic acids. Some recent application examples of unnatural nucleic acids with their polymerases are then introduced. At the end, the approaches of introducing UBPs and synthetic genetic polymers into living organisms for the creation of semi-synthetic organisms are reviewed and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leping Sun
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology 510006 Guangzhou China
| | - Xingyun Ma
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology 510006 Guangzhou China
| | - Binliang Zhang
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology 510006 Guangzhou China
| | - Yanjia Qin
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology 510006 Guangzhou China
| | - Jiezhao Ma
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology 510006 Guangzhou China
| | - Yuhui Du
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology 510006 Guangzhou China
| | - Tingjian Chen
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology 510006 Guangzhou China
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8
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Huo B, Zhang X, Wang C, Wang H, Zhu G, Zhu W, Zhu A, Mei H, Li L. Mechanistic Insight into the Photoinduced Damage of an Unnatural Base Pair. Chemistry 2022; 28:e202201730. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.202201730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bianbian Huo
- Department Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan 453007 P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation Regulation and Target Drug Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan 453007 P. R. China
| | - Xiguang Zhang
- Department Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan 453007 P. R. China
| | - Chao Wang
- Department Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan 453007 P. R. China
| | - Honglei Wang
- Department Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan 453007 P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation Regulation and Target Drug Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan 453007 P. R. China
| | - Gongming Zhu
- Department Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan 453007 P. R. China
| | - Wuyuan Zhu
- Department Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan 453007 P. R. China
| | - Anlian Zhu
- Department Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan 453007 P. R. China
| | - Hui Mei
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen 518055 P. R. China
| | - Lingjun Li
- Department Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan 453007 P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation Regulation and Target Drug Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan 453007 P. R. China
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Wang H, Wang L, Ma N, Zhu W, Huo B, Zhu A, Li L. Access to Photostability-Enhanced Unnatural Base Pairs via Local Structural Modifications. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:334-342. [PMID: 34889587 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Completing the storage and retrieval of increased genetic information in vivo and producing therapeutic proteins have been achieved by the unnatural base pair dNaM-dTPT3. Up to now, some biological and chemical approaches are implemented to improve the semi-synthetic organism (SSO). However, the photosensitivity of this pair, suggested as a potential threat to the healthy growth of cells, is still a problem to solve. Hence, we designed and synthesized a panel of TPT3 analogues with the basic structural skeletons of TPT3 but modified thiophene rings at variant sites to improve the photostability of unnatural base pairs. A comprehensive screening strategy, including photosensitivity tests, kinetic experiments, and replication in vitro by PCR and in vivo by amplification, was implemented. A new pair, dNaM-dTAT1, which had almost equally high efficiency and fidelity with the dNaM-dTPT3 pair itself both in vivo and in vitro, was proven to be more photostable and thermostable and less toxic to E. coli cells. The discovery of dNaM-dTAT1 represents our first progress for the optimization of this type of bases toward more photostable properties; our data also suggest that less photosensitive unnatural base pairs will be beneficial to build a healthier cellular replication system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honglei Wang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Luying Wang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Nana Ma
- Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Wuyuan Zhu
- Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Bianbian Huo
- Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Anlian Zhu
- Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Lingjun Li
- Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
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10
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Romesberg FE. Creation, Optimization, and Use of Semi-Synthetic Organisms that Store and Retrieve Increased Genetic Information. J Mol Biol 2021; 434:167331. [PMID: 34710400 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
With few exceptions, natural proteins are built from only 20 canonical (proteogenic) amino acids which limits the functionality and accordingly the properties they can possess. Genetic code expansion, i.e. the creation of codons and the machinery needed to assign them to non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs), promises to enable the discovery of proteins with novel properties that are otherwise difficult or impossible to obtain. One approach to expanding the genetic code is to expand the genetic alphabet via the development of unnatural nucleotides that pair to form an unnatural base pair (UBP). Semi-synthetic organisms (SSOs), i.e. organisms that stably maintain the UBP, transcribe its component nucleotides into RNA, and use it to translate proteins, would have available to them new codons and the anticodons needed to assign them to ncAAs. This review summarizes the development of a family of UBPs, their use to create SSOs, and the optimization and application of the SSOs to produce candidate therapeutic proteins with improved properties that are now undergoing evaluation in clinical trials.
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11
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Hashimoto K, Fischer EC, Romesberg FE. Efforts toward Further Integration of an Unnatural Base Pair into the Biology of a Semisynthetic Organism. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:8603-8607. [PMID: 34096294 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c03860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
We have developed semisynthetic organisms (SSOs) that by virtue of a family of synthetic, unnatural base pairs (UBPs), store and retrieve increased information. To date, transcription in the SSOs has relied on heterologous expression of the RNA polymerase from T7 bacteriophage; here, we explore placing transcription under the control of the endogenous host multisubunit RNA polymerase. The results demonstrate that the E. coli RNA polymerase is able to transcribe DNA containing a UBP and that with the most optimal UBP identified to date it should be possible to select for increased uptake of unnatural triphosphates. These advances should facilitate the creation of next generation SSOs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koji Hashimoto
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Emil C Fischer
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Floyd E Romesberg
- Synthorx, a Sanofi Company, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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12
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Kimoto M, Hirao I. Genetic alphabet expansion technology by creating unnatural base pairs. Chem Soc Rev 2020; 49:7602-7626. [PMID: 33015699 DOI: 10.1039/d0cs00457j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Recent advancements in the creation of artificial extra base pairs (unnatural base pairs, UBPs) are opening the door to a new research area, xenobiology, and genetic alphabet expansion technologies. UBPs that function as third base pairs in replication, transcription, and/or translation enable the site-specific incorporation of novel components into DNA, RNA, and proteins. Here, we describe the UBPs developed by three research teams and their application in PCR-based diagnostics, high-affinity DNA aptamer generation, site-specific labeling of RNAs, semi-synthetic organism creation, and unnatural-amino-acid-containing protein synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiko Kimoto
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, A*STAR, Singapore.
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13
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Mukba SA, Vlasov PK, Kolosov PM, Shuvalova EY, Egorova TV, Alkalaeva EZ. Expanding the Genetic Code: Unnatural Base Pairs in Biological Systems. Mol Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026893320040111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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14
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Kimoto M, Hirao I. New Research Area, Xenobiology, by Integrating Chemistry and Biology. J SYN ORG CHEM JPN 2020. [DOI: 10.5059/yukigoseikyokaishi.78.465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ichiro Hirao
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, A*STAR
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15
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New codons for efficient production of unnatural proteins in a semisynthetic organism. Nat Chem Biol 2020; 16:570-576. [PMID: 32251411 PMCID: PMC7263176 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-020-0507-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Natural organisms use a four-letter genetic alphabet that makes available
64 triplet codons, of which 61 are sense codons used to encode proteins with the
20 canonical amino acids. We have shown that the unnatural nucleotides dNaM and
dTPT3 pair to form an unnatural base pair (UBP) and allow for the creation of
semi-synthetic organisms (SSOs) with additional sense codons. Here we report a
systematic analysis of the unnatural codons. We identify nine unnatural codons
that can produce unnatural protein with nearly complete incorporation of an
encoded non-canonical amino acid (ncAA). We also show that at least three of the
codons are orthogonal and can be simultaneously decoded in the SSO, affording
the first 67-codon organism. The ability to site-specifically incorporate
multiple, different ncAAs into a protein should now allow for the development of
proteins with novel activities and possibly even SSOs with new forms and
functions.
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16
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Marx A, Betz K. The Structural Basis for Processing of Unnatural Base Pairs by DNA Polymerases. Chemistry 2020; 26:3446-3463. [PMID: 31544987 PMCID: PMC7155079 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201903525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Unnatural base pairs (UBPs) greatly increase the diversity of DNA and RNA, furthering their broad range of molecular biological and biotechnological approaches. Different candidates have been developed whereby alternative hydrogen-bonding patterns and hydrophobic and packing interactions have turned out to be the most promising base-pairing concepts to date. The key in many applications is the highly efficient and selective acceptance of artificial base pairs by DNA polymerases, which enables amplification of the modified DNA. In this Review, computational as well as experimental studies that were performed to characterize the pairing behavior of UBPs in free duplex DNA or bound to the active site of KlenTaq DNA polymerase are highlighted. The structural studies, on the one hand, elucidate how base pairs lacking hydrogen bonds are accepted by these enzymes and, on the other hand, highlight the influence of one or several consecutive UBPs on the structure of a DNA double helix. Understanding these concepts facilitates optimization of future UBPs for the manifold fields of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Marx
- Department of ChemistryKonstanz Research School Chemical BiologyUniversity of KonstanzUniversitätsstrasse 1078464KonstanzGermany
| | - Karin Betz
- Department of ChemistryKonstanz Research School Chemical BiologyUniversity of KonstanzUniversitätsstrasse 1078464KonstanzGermany
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17
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Ledbetter MP, Craig JM, Karadeema RJ, Noakes MT, Kim HC, Abell SJ, Huang JR, Anderson BA, Krishnamurthy R, Gundlach JH, Romesberg FE. Nanopore Sequencing of an Expanded Genetic Alphabet Reveals High-Fidelity Replication of a Predominantly Hydrophobic Unnatural Base Pair. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:2110-2114. [PMID: 31985216 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b09808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Unnatural base pairs (UBPs) have been developed and used for a variety of in vitro applications as well as for the engineering of semisynthetic organisms (SSOs) that store and retrieve increased information. However, these applications are limited by the availability of methods to rapidly and accurately determine the sequence of unnatural DNA. Here we report the development and application of the MspA nanopore to sequence DNA containing the dTPT3-dNaM UBP. Analysis of two sequence contexts reveals that DNA containing the UBP is replicated with an efficiency and fidelity similar to that of natural DNA and sufficient for use as the basis of an SSO that produces proteins with noncanonical amino acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Ledbetter
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Jonathan M Craig
- Department of Physics , University of Washington , Seattle , Washington 98195 , United States
| | - Rebekah J Karadeema
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Matthew T Noakes
- Department of Physics , University of Washington , Seattle , Washington 98195 , United States
| | - Hwanhee C Kim
- Department of Physics , University of Washington , Seattle , Washington 98195 , United States
| | - Sarah J Abell
- Department of Physics , University of Washington , Seattle , Washington 98195 , United States
| | - Jesse R Huang
- Department of Physics , University of Washington , Seattle , Washington 98195 , United States
| | - Brooke A Anderson
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | | | - Jens H Gundlach
- Department of Physics , University of Washington , Seattle , Washington 98195 , United States
| | - Floyd E Romesberg
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
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18
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Leonczak P, Srivastava P, Bande O, Schepers G, Lescrinier E, Herdewijn P. N8-Glycosylated 8-Azapurine and Methylated Purine Nucleobases: Synthesis and Study of Base Pairing Properties. J Org Chem 2019; 84:13394-13409. [PMID: 31617362 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.9b01576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In this report, we present the synthesis of N8-glycosylated 8-aza-2-methylhypoxanthine and 8-aza-6-thiohypoxanthine 2'-deoxynucleosides as well as methylated 2'-deoxynebularine derivatives. In vitro base pairing properties between each modified and canonical nucleobase were studied. As demonstrated by Tm, incorporation of the modified bases in DNA resulted, with few exceptions, in low stability of duplexes. Modified bases studied in this report are preferentially recognized by T (for N8-glycosylated 8-aza-2-methylhypoxanthine and methylated purines) and G (N8-glycosylated 8-aza-2-methylhypoxanthine). The base pair formed between N8-glycosylated 8-aza-6-thiohypoxanthine and N9-glycosylated 2-methyl-6-thiohypoxanthine (X2:X6) showed, to some extent, an orthogonal interaction. Based on Tm studies, the only potential self-pairing system is formed by the N8-glycosylated 8-aza-6-thiohypoxanthine nucleoside (X2) but only in the absence of canonical G and T. This study indicated that the canonical thymine base is the preferential base partner of methylated purine bases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Leonczak
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research , Medicinal Chemistry , Herestraat 49, Box 1041 , 3000 Leuven , Belgium
| | - Puneet Srivastava
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research , Medicinal Chemistry , Herestraat 49, Box 1041 , 3000 Leuven , Belgium
| | - Omprakash Bande
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research , Medicinal Chemistry , Herestraat 49, Box 1041 , 3000 Leuven , Belgium
| | - Guy Schepers
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research , Medicinal Chemistry , Herestraat 49, Box 1041 , 3000 Leuven , Belgium
| | - Eveline Lescrinier
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research , Medicinal Chemistry , Herestraat 49, Box 1041 , 3000 Leuven , Belgium
| | - Piet Herdewijn
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research , Medicinal Chemistry , Herestraat 49, Box 1041 , 3000 Leuven , Belgium
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19
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Galindo-Murillo R, Barroso-Flores J. Hydrophobic unnatural base pairs show a Watson-Crick pairing in micro-second molecular dynamics simulations. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2019; 38:4098-4106. [PMID: 31542995 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2019.1671898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Two unnatural hydrophobic nucleotides, d5SICS (2,6-dimethyl-2H-isoquiniline-1-thione) and dNaM (2-methoxy-3-methylnaphthalene), were previously replicated in vivo by a modified E. coli strand, however, a consistent structure for their pairing in terms of specific and selective directional interactions remains elusive, as data from spectroscopy experiments and simulations are inconsistent. The proposed d5SICS-dNaM pairing has been suggested to be a stacked configuration as suggested by NMR data; simulations have failed to reproduce this configuration and a Watson-Crick like pairing is observed. Previously, we focused on reproducing the d5SICS-dNaM Unnatural Base Pair (UBP) paring using an older (bsc0) AMBER force field, which was not able to correctly reproduce the experimental data. We present our efforts to reproduce the experimental pairing using the current version of the AMBER DNA force fields (OL15 and bsc1), two water models (OPC and TIP3P) and external electrostatic stabilization by Mg2+ ions. Opposite to previously reported simulations, a Watson-Crick-like pairing with no hydrogen bonds persists throughout all our results. Despite our efforts to replicate the reported stacked conformation, we cannot confirm its plausibility nor obtain a consistent structure that is independent of the neighboring nucleotides. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Galindo-Murillo
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Joaquín Barroso-Flores
- Centro Conjunto de Investigación en Química Sustentable UAEM-UNAM, Estado de México, C.P., México.,Instituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, México
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20
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Feldman AW, Dien VT, Karadeema RJ, Fischer EC, You Y, Anderson BA, Krishnamurthy R, Chen JS, Li L, Romesberg FE. Optimization of Replication, Transcription, and Translation in a Semi-Synthetic Organism. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:10644-10653. [PMID: 31241334 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b02075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Previously, we reported the creation of a semi-synthetic organism (SSO) that stores and retrieves increased information by virtue of stably maintaining an unnatural base pair (UBP) in its DNA, transcribing the corresponding unnatural nucleotides into the codons and anticodons of mRNAs and tRNAs, and then using them to produce proteins containing noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs). Here we report a systematic extension of the effort to optimize the SSO by exploring a variety of deoxy- and ribonucleotide analogues. Importantly, this includes the first in vivo structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis of unnatural ribonucleoside triphosphates. Similarities and differences between how DNA and RNA polymerases recognize the unnatural nucleotides were observed, and remarkably, we found that a wide variety of unnatural ribonucleotides can be efficiently transcribed into RNA and then productively and selectively paired at the ribosome to mediate the synthesis of proteins with ncAAs. The results extend previous studies, demonstrating that nucleotides bearing no significant structural or functional homology to the natural nucleotides can be efficiently and selectively paired during replication, to include each step of the entire process of information storage and retrieval. From a practical perspective, the results identify the most optimal UBP for replication and transcription, as well as the most optimal unnatural ribonucleoside triphosphates for transcription and translation. The optimized SSO is now, for the first time, able to efficiently produce proteins containing multiple, proximal ncAAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron W Feldman
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 North Torrey Pines Road , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Vivian T Dien
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 North Torrey Pines Road , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Rebekah J Karadeema
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 North Torrey Pines Road , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Emil C Fischer
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 North Torrey Pines Road , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Yanbo You
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Henan Normal University , Henan 453007 , P. R. China
| | - Brooke A Anderson
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 North Torrey Pines Road , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Ramanarayanan Krishnamurthy
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 North Torrey Pines Road , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Jason S Chen
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 North Torrey Pines Road , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Lingjun Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Henan Normal University , Henan 453007 , P. R. China
| | - Floyd E Romesberg
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 North Torrey Pines Road , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
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21
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Padroni G, Withers JM, Taladriz-Sender A, Reichenbach LF, Parkinson JA, Burley GA. Sequence-Selective Minor Groove Recognition of a DNA Duplex Containing Synthetic Genetic Components. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:9555-9563. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b12444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Padroni
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Thomas Graham Building, 295 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G1 1XL, United Kingdom
| | - Jamie M. Withers
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Thomas Graham Building, 295 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G1 1XL, United Kingdom
| | - Andrea Taladriz-Sender
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Thomas Graham Building, 295 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G1 1XL, United Kingdom
| | - Linus F. Reichenbach
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Thomas Graham Building, 295 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G1 1XL, United Kingdom
| | - John A. Parkinson
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Thomas Graham Building, 295 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G1 1XL, United Kingdom
| | - Glenn A. Burley
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Thomas Graham Building, 295 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G1 1XL, United Kingdom
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22
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Affiliation(s)
- Floyd E. Romesberg
- Department of ChemistryThe Scripps Research Institute 10550 North Torrey Pines Road La Jolla CA 92037 USA
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23
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Dien VT, Holcomb M, Feldman AW, Fischer EC, Dwyer TJ, Romesberg FE. Progress Toward a Semi-Synthetic Organism with an Unrestricted Expanded Genetic Alphabet. J Am Chem Soc 2018; 140:16115-16123. [PMID: 30418780 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b08416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
We have developed a family of unnatural base pairs (UBPs), exemplified by the pair formed between dNaM and dTPT3, for which pairing is mediated not by complementary hydrogen bonding but by hydrophobic and packing forces. These UBPs enabled the creation of the first semisynthetic organisms (SSOs) that store increased genetic information and use it to produce proteins containing noncanonical amino acids. However, retention of the UBPs was poor in some sequence contexts. Here, to optimize the SSO, we synthesize two novel benzothiophene-based dNaM analogs, dPTMO and dMTMO, and characterize the corresponding UBPs, dPTMO-dTPT3 and dMTMO-dTPT3. We demonstrate that these UBPs perform similarly to, or slightly worse than, dNaM-dTPT3 in vitro. However, in the in vivo environment of an SSO, retention of dMTMO-dTPT3, and especially dPTMO-dTPT3, is significantly higher than that of dNaM-dTPT3. This more optimal in vivo retention results from better replication, as opposed to more efficient import of the requisite unnatural nucleoside triphosphates. Modeling studies suggest that the more optimal replication results from specific internucleobase interactions mediated by the thiophene sulfur atoms. Finally, we show that dMTMO and dPTMO efficiently template the transcription of RNA containing TPT3 and that their improved retention in DNA results in more efficient production of proteins with noncanonical amino acids. This is the first instance of using performance within the SSO as part of the UBP evaluation and optimization process. From a general perspective, the results demonstrate the importance of evaluating synthetic biology "parts" in their in vivo context and further demonstrate the ability of hydrophobic and packing interactions to replace the complementary hydrogen bonding that underlies the replication of natural base pairs. From a more practical perspective, the identification of dMTMO-dTPT3 and especially dPTMO-dTPT3 represents significant progress toward the development of SSOs with an unrestricted ability to store and retrieve increased information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian T Dien
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 United States
| | - Matthew Holcomb
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 United States
| | - Aaron W Feldman
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 United States
| | - Emil C Fischer
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 United States
| | - Tammy J Dwyer
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of San Diego , San Diego , California 92110 , United States
| | - Floyd E Romesberg
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla , California 92037 United States
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24
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Dien VT, Morris SE, Karadeema RJ, Romesberg FE. Expansion of the genetic code via expansion of the genetic alphabet. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2018; 46:196-202. [PMID: 30205312 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2018.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Current methods to expand the genetic code enable site-specific incorporation of non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) into proteins in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. However, current methods are limited by the number of codons possible, their orthogonality, and possibly their effects on protein synthesis and folding. An alternative approach relies on unnatural base pairs to create a virtually unlimited number of genuinely new codons that are efficiently translated and highly orthogonal because they direct ncAA incorporation using forces other than the complementary hydrogen bonds employed by their natural counterparts. This review outlines progress and achievements made towards developing a functional unnatural base pair and its use to generate semi-synthetic organisms with an expanded genetic alphabet that serves as the basis of an expanded genetic code.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian T Dien
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Sydney E Morris
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Rebekah J Karadeema
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Floyd E Romesberg
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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25
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Röthlisberger P, Gasse C, Hollenstein M. Nucleic Acid Aptamers: Emerging Applications in Medical Imaging, Nanotechnology, Neurosciences, and Drug Delivery. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:E2430. [PMID: 29144411 PMCID: PMC5713398 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18112430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Revised: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent progresses in organic chemistry and molecular biology have allowed the emergence of numerous new applications of nucleic acids that markedly deviate from their natural functions. Particularly, DNA and RNA molecules-coined aptamers-can be brought to bind to specific targets with high affinity and selectivity. While aptamers are mainly applied as biosensors, diagnostic agents, tools in proteomics and biotechnology, and as targeted therapeutics, these chemical antibodies slowly begin to be used in other fields. Herein, we review recent progress on the use of aptamers in the construction of smart DNA origami objects and MRI and PET imaging agents. We also describe advances in the use of aptamers in the field of neurosciences (with a particular emphasis on the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases) and as drug delivery systems. Lastly, the use of chemical modifications, modified nucleoside triphosphate particularly, to enhance the binding and stability of aptamers is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Röthlisberger
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, CNRS UMR3523, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris CEDEX 15, France.
| | - Cécile Gasse
- Institute of Systems & Synthetic Biology, Xenome Team, 5 rue Henri Desbruères Genopole Campus 1, University of Evry, F-91030 Evry, France.
| | - Marcel Hollenstein
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, CNRS UMR3523, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris CEDEX 15, France.
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26
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Hirao I, Kimoto M, Lee KH. DNA aptamer generation by ExSELEX using genetic alphabet expansion with a mini-hairpin DNA stabilization method. Biochimie 2017; 145:15-21. [PMID: 28916151 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
A novel aptamer generation method to greatly augment the affinity and stability of DNA aptamers was developed by genetic alphabet expansion combined with mini-hairpin DNA technology. The genetic alphabet expansion increases the physicochemical and structural diversities of DNA aptamers by introducing extra components, unnatural bases, as a fifth base, allowing for the enhancement of DNA aptamer affinities. Furthermore, the mini-hairpin DNA technology stabilizes DNA aptamers against nuclease digestion and thermal denaturation, by introducing an extraordinarily stable mini-hairpin DNA containing a GCGAAGC sequence. This novel method provides stabilized high-affinity DNA aptamers for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ichiro Hirao
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, The Nanos, #09-01, Singapore, 138669, Singapore.
| | - Michiko Kimoto
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, The Nanos, #09-01, Singapore, 138669, Singapore
| | - Kyung Hyun Lee
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, The Nanos, #09-01, Singapore, 138669, Singapore
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