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Scientists Create Synthesized DNA Bases

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the and-mother-nature-is-pissed dept.

Iddo Genuth writes to tell us that researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego have created two artificial DNA bases in an effort to "expand biology's potential." "In the future, [chemist Floyd] Romesberg envisions manipulating the genetic code of bacteria in order to assemble better drugs or even man-made proteins. Until now, the bases only work in bacteria, so human augmentation is currently not possible. Another option is to use alpha and beta to help construct nanomachines to be used for drug delivery. 'This is like jumping from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age,' Romesberg says. 'It takes time to figure out how best to use metal.'" Update 18:10 GMT by SM: Roger writes to share the NewScientist link with a bit more information. There is also the original release text for consideration.

4 of 125 comments (clear)

  1. I want my Vitamin C! by snowgirl · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Can we get back our Vitamin C gene again? I would love being able to eat less fruit... Scurvy sucks.

    --
    WARNING! This girl exceeds the MAXIMUM SAFE standards established by the FDA for BRATTINESS
  2. These are bases not amino acids by NFN_NLN · · Score: 5, Interesting

    He's adding new bases which have no coding to amino acids. I don't see the purpose of this. Is it just for adding a trace or marker in DNA?

    All the bases do are code for amino acids and it's the amino acid sequence which accounts for a protein's shape. In the end it's the protein's shape that matters for chemical interactions.

    1. Re:These are bases not amino acids by Robert1 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You're totally right. This is such a non-story and frankly mildly offensive in how full of himself the scientist is with sweeping comments like that.

      As it stands currently, the amount of genetic degenerecy in amino acid coding means that they would easily have those double and tripled coded amino acids switched to something else. They could potentially add another 20-30 new amino acids with absolutely no change in the number or form of the base pairs used.

      Its like finding a solution to a problem that doesn't exist, will never exist, and serves no purpose even if it was found. But apparently its equivalent from going to the iron age from the bronze age. Ha!

  3. Old News by dwye · · Score: 3, Interesting
    We have seen this before. The new bases just make new STOP codons, until someone creates new types of MRNA and/or TRNA to let the mitochondria process them to add a matching amino acid.

    Where is the whatcanpossiblygowrong tag, like last time? Have the Luddites left, already?