Engineering the genetic code : expanding the amino acid repertoire for the design of novel proteins

The ability to introduce non-canonical amino acids in vivo has greatly expanded the repertoire of accessible proteins for basic research and biotechnological application. Here, the different methods and strategies to incorporate new or modified amino acids are explained in detail, including a lot of practical advice for first-time users of this powerful technique. Novel applications in protein biochemistry, genomics, biotechnology and biomedicine made possible by the expansion of the genetic code are discussed and numerous examples are given. Essential reading for all molecular life scientists who want to stay ahead in their research.Content: Chapter 1 Introduction (pages 1–12): Chapter 2 A Brief History of an Expanded Amino Acid Repertoire (pages 13–30): Chapter 3 Basic Features of the Cellular Translation Apparatus (pages 31–65): Chapter 4 Amino Acids and Codons – Code Organization and Protein Structure (pages 66–89): Chapter 5 Reprograming the Cellular Translation Machinery (pages 90–183): Chapter 6 Implications and Insights: From Reprogrammed Translation and Code Evolution to Artificial Life (pages 184–212): Chapter 7 Some Practical Potentials of Reprogrammed Cellular Translation (pages 213–260):

The ability to introduce non-canonical amino acids in vivo has greatly expanded the repertoire of accessible proteins for basic research and biotechnological application.
Here, the different methods and strategies to incorporate new or modified amino acids are explained in detail, including a lot of practical advice for first-time users of this powerful technique.
Novel applications in protein biochemistry, genomics, biotechnology and biomedicine made possible by the expansion of the genetic code are discussed and numerous examples are given.
Essential reading for all molecular life scientists who want to stay ahead in their research.

Weitere Angaben Verfasser: Nediljko Budisa is a group leader at the Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried near Munich (Germany). He studied Chemistry and Biology at the University of Zagreb (Croatia) before joining the group of Nobel Prize Winner Robert Huber at Martinsried to obtain his PhD degree. During postdoctoral work with R. Huber and L. Moroder he led an independent research team in protein engineering. In 2004, Dr. Budisa received the BioFuture Award of the German Federal Ministry for Research and Education Various methods and strategies to incorporate new or modified amino acids are explained in detail, including a lot of practical advice for first-time users of this powerful technique. Essential reading for all molecular life scientists who want to stay ahead in their research. Chemical modification of solvent-accessible reactive side-chains has a long history in protein science and a number of group-specific modifying agents are well known.