Pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase: An ordinary enzyme but an outstanding genetic code expansion tool

作者：Wan Wei; Tharp Jeffery M; Liu Wenshe R^*

来源：Biochimica et Biophysica Acta-Proteins and Proteomics, 2014, 1844(6): 1059-1070.

DOI：10.1016/j.bbapap.2014.03.002

• Pyrrolysine
• Amber codon
• Genetic code expansion
• Non-canonical amino acids
• Hydroxy acids

The genetic incorporation of the 22nd proteinogenic amino acid, pyrrolysine (Pyl) at amber codon is achieved by the action of pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase (PylRS) together with its cognate tRNA(Pyl). Unlike most aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, PylRS displays high substrate side chain promiscuity, low selectivity toward its substrate et-amine, and low selectivity toward the anticodon of tRNA(Pyl). These unique but ordinary features of PylRS as an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase allow the Pyl incorporation machinery to be easily engineered for the genetic incorporation of more than 100 non-canonical amino acids (NCAAs) or alpha-hydroxy acids into proteins at amber codon and the reassignment of other codons such as ochre UAA, opal UGA, and four-base AGGA codons to code NCAAs.

• 出版日期2014-6