Life's code rewritten in four-letter words

[n2doc]

17 February 2010 by Linda Geddes

A TOTALLY new genetic code has been devised, along with machinery that could make it a biological reality. It's an advance that means living cells could be persuaded to make proteins with properties that have never been seen in the natural world.

More extraordinary still, it could eventually lead to the creation of new or "improved" life forms that incorporate these materials in their tissue - possibly even organisms with bulletproof bodies.

In all existing life forms, the cell's protein-making machinery reads the four chemical "letters" of DNA - called nucleotides - in triplets to make chains of amino acids. Each three-letter word embodies the code for a single amino acid or tells the cell to stop making a protein chain.

Not any more. Jason Chin at the University of Cambridge and his colleagues have redesigned the cell's machinery so that it can also read the genetic code four letters at a time.

more:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20527484.000-lifes-code-rewritten-in-fourletter-words.html

[TransitJohn]

1. Sweet.

Our inexorable march to becoming gray extraterrestrials continues.

[aquart]

2. Is that a good thing?

[eShirl]

3. why does the phrase "unintended consequences" come to mind?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

4. I'M FRIGHTENED AND CONFUSED!

Burn the witch!

[htuttle]

5. Golly, what could possibly go wrong?

[blueworld]

6. It doesn't surprise me that science wants life to define itself in 4-letter words now. n/t

[Blacksheep214]

7. The Final Chapter will say...

Mistakes were made!

[Odin2005]

8. SWEET! The technophobes can go pound sand.

[krispos42]

9. Great. bulletproof roaches.

Now we'll never keep them under control.