New kind of DNA

JAMES WATSON and Francis Crick earned scientific immortality by elucidating the structure of the genetic code. DNA, they showed, is a double helix formed of the base pairs of adenine and thymine (referred to as A and T for short), and of cytosine and guanine (C and G).

For some 3.5 billion years the Watson and Crick base pairs, as they are known, have been faithfully replicated by DNA polymerases, the enzymes that copy DNA. But now, for the first time since life began, a third, artificial base pair is being replicated. (RNA, which is used in various intermediate stages by many organisms, and also by viruses, substitutes another molecule, uracil for thymine, but the two are very similar.)

The unnatural molecule is 3-fluorobenzene (3FB for short),http://www.lookchem.com/cas-456/456-42-8.htmlwhich forms a pair with itself. In Floyd Romesberg's lab at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, 3FB-3FB joins the natural base pairs of A-T and C-G. It is the first step, says Dr Romesberg, in the expansion of the genetic code.

Why there are only two base pairs is an open question, and one which evolutionary biologists and geneticists want to answer. With Dr Romesberg's modified DNA, they might get a chance to do so. Other unnatural base pairs have been made before, notably by a Japanese group led by Shigeyuki Yokoyama, now at the Genomic Sciences Centre in Saitama. But unlike those other unnatural base pairs, the Scripps researchers say 3FB can be well replicated by DNA polymerases.

However, typos do creep into the copy when the unnatural base pair is included. A mistake typically occurs once in every 1,000 base pairs that are copied, compared with around one in 10m bases of natural DNA. But Dr Romesberg is confident he can improve the copy quality. He presented his research this week at a meeting of the American Chemical Society, in San Diego.

One way to improve copying fidelity is to evolve polymerase enzymes better able to replicate the unnatural DNA. That is one of the projects Dr Romesberg's lab is working on. If and when these enzymes are perfected, the way will be open to make simple organisms engineered to carry the new base pair.

Since such organisms (simple yeasts or bacteria) would carry a brand-new genetic code, they would in effect be new life forms. Organisms with more than the standard two base pairs would be able to make more than the standard 20 amino acids. Thus, such organisms could make novel, unnatural proteins.

That might help evolutionary biologists answer the question of why, for billions of years, and in every form of life on earth, only two base pairs are used. It might be that the two base-pair system is the best. Or it might be a simple accident which occurred when life began.

In any case, expanding the genetic code of simple organisms could lead to radical new applications for medicine and biotechnology, and to useful information storage and retrieval systems based on DNA.

This is interesting. Can you imagine what we could do to endangered animmals if we use this replication wisely (in the far future)? Not to mention that we'll be able to manufacture our own anti-viruses. How would it be to beat cancer down and all it would take would be a simple sting.

Sry, but that would suck.
There's alrdy too many humans, with even more ways to cure themselves, it will be worse. The pollution, the hunting, the economy, unemployment, wars [less territory] will come sooner.
If there wouldn't be so many humans, there wouldn't be any endangered even more extinct animal species.
Just for example: our, hungarian population keeps falling down to 11kk [almost equals with the number of ppl living in Tokyo] from 15kk in 2000 and the timberwolves coming back in the northern country.
While in some American countries the extinct/endangered animals' number keep rising.

No cancer - no life sooner.

Because as we know, humans can't keep there population low, neither the polluting technology to make their own lives better[while they are ruining it].

If we won't stop, this world will be gone soon.
I'm sorry to say that, but I don't want to end cancer for humans until they start to prove that they rly have some IQ to realise, what will happen soon.

They keep thinking what would be like a 1000-2000years later, but from what will we do it?
In 2002 202HUF=1dollar, now its 162HUF=1dollar. Why? Because they are running out from oil and other valuable materials.
According to this, they can't make the future from any materials soon, because it's almost gone.

yes best option is suicid:) u know the movie:the happening? xD that movie shows what should happen to the dirty race called humans

What should happen?

plants start producing some toxin that makes us go and suicide:)that movie rox:) its funny to see how officer of the police takes his gun and blows his head off...next to him stands a young woman.. well she takes his gun off the ground and shootsherself 2:) nice brains on the wall!90% of the population dies:D

And what happened with these 10%? Steven Seagal saved them? =D

I saw that movie its names "the happening" but the best name for it would be
"the microphone''
hahahahahhahahahahhihihahahaihahah

i thing u know what i mean.

You bastard! I haven't seen this movie yet! you ruined it
mehe, next time include a *************SPOILER ALERT*************** please

ontopic:
No matter the ethical complifications the subject itself is highly interesting.
But my true love is for something even smaller then DNA and molecules, atomic structure and the even smaller so called original building blocks.
Unifying the four forces of nature is my dream, but even Einstein failed here, I geuss i'll just keep on dreaming ^^.

In 2002 1 dollar = 36k lei. In 2008 1 dollar = 23k lei.
In 2002 1 euro = 43k lei. In 2008 1 euro = 35k.

See?
The usa gets weaker and weaker, from time-to-time, they should spend less money on the researches for war they could improve at maybe the sun-car technology!
That's right, some countries are alrdy working on it, a car that works with solar power and also stores energy when there's no solar power that can be consumable for the car to still run.

Or they should spend money on cartoons, like Angry Beavers I'm watchin now xD

It's really easy to say "they could"... And about cartoons, Spongebob Squarepants is way better for me =)

The point is, usa has done lots of stupid things and they're losing power. Usa sees itself as a high power, controlling things, but if you put them face to face to the russians they're gonna have a big surprise.

Point:) Russia could own them.
Nvm this stuff, we won't live when these problems are coming up.
And if usa wouldn't exist, I would be a huge pro in front of the comp.

My opinion about this, to stop all this stuff, leave it as it is and finally, try to live. W/o these impossible future technologies/medicals we could have a longer a good life for thousands of years, not the best for 50ys.

The whole problem with this world is the low willpower. Nobody wants to stop or change anything.

about the first part.. bastard?lol!nuji asked i answered...if u dont want to know whats gona happen there just dont read it..
about the second part bozons,positrons( i dont know exactly how to write it but i was reading all that shit yesterday-its rly interesting) are the original building blocks..
about einstein.. well he could use quadro+ core computers or molecular accelerator(we have one in europe and many many smaller in russia-theres even a city founded by a accelerator..well top secret shit:))
we have shitloadz of new technologies..omg einstein couldnt even imagine that now we can fking comunicate thrue this forum...im in bulgaria but smb is in zimbabwe for example...