Adding new chemistries to the central dogma of molecular biology

The maturation of chemical synthesis during the 20th century has elevated the discipline from a largely empirical to a rational science. This ability to purposefully craft matter at the molecular level has put chemists in a privileged position to contribute to progress in neighboring natural sciences. Recently, we have witnessed another major advance in the field in which chemists use chemical and biological syntheticmethods together to alter the structures and properties of biological macromolecules in ways heretofore unimagined. This interdisciplinary approach to synthesis has even allowed us to expand upon the defining characteristics of living organisms at the molecular level. In this perspective, we present a case study of the successful addition of new chemistries to the fundamental processes of the central dogma of molecular biology, exemplified by the expansion of the genetic code.

Automated summary

The maturation of chemical synthesis during the 20th century elevated chemistry from largely empirical to a rational science, allowing chemists to purposefully craft matter at the molecular level and contribute to progress in neighboring natural sciences. The recent major advance in the field involves the interdisciplinary use of chemical and biological synthetic methods to alter biological macromolecules in ways previously unimaginable, expanding upon the defining characteristics of living organisms at the molecular level. One successful case study is the addition of new chemistries to the fundamental processes of the central dogma of molecular biology, exemplified by the expansion of the genetic code.