Chapter 12.13, Problem 3MQ

Summary Introduction

To produce a protein containing synthetic amino acid, synthetic biologists replaced all TAG stop codons (UAG on the RNA) linked to the open reading frames with TAA stop codons on the chromosome of the Escherichia coli. In addition, synthetic biologists removed the gene encoding releasing factor 1 that involved in the translation termination when the ribosome encounters the UAG on the mRNA. This alternation placed an alternative stop codon at the end of genes, which had TAG codons. The correct length of proteins is still synthesized in the translation process (protein synthesis) and the recoded cell grows normally. In addition, this genetic alteration freed up the UAG stop codon to be reassigned another translational process.