SYNAPTA - Encoded synthesis, replication and evolution of unnatural nucleic acid therapeutics

生物系统中的信息存储和传播仅基于两种类型的核酸：DNA和RNA。我们正在建立一个基于第三种遗传物质(3NA)的人工遗传系统，使用正交核酸化学和进化聚合酶来模板化合成、复制和进化新型的、序列定义的核酸聚合物。这样的系统将最终解决DNA和RNA以外的核酸聚合物在信息存储、遗传和进化方面的能力等问题。它在核酸疗法的合成和进化中的应用有望解决DNA和RNA化学中固有的一些系统限制。

Information storage and propagation in biological systems is based on just two types of nucleic acids, DNA and RNA. We are building an artificial genetic system based on a third type of genetic material (3NA) using orthogonal nucleic acid chemistry and evolved polymerases for the templated synthesis, replication and evolution of novel, sequence-defined nucleic acid polymers. Such a system will conclusively address questions such as the capacity of nucleic acid polymers other than DNA and RNA for information storage, heredity and evolution. Its application to the synthesis and evolution of nucleic acid therapeutics promises to address some of the systemic constraints inherent in DNA and RNA chemistry.