Xenobiology

Xenobiology (XB) is a subfield of synthetic biology, the study of synthesizing and manipulating biological devices and systems.^[1] The name "xenobiology" derives from the Greek word xenos, which means "stranger, alien". Xenobiology is a form of biology that is not (yet) familiar to science and is not found in nature.^[2] In practice, it describes novel biological systems and biochemistries that differ from the canonical DNA–RNA-20 amino acid system (see central dogma of molecular biology). For example, instead of DNA or RNA, XB explores nucleic acid analogues, termed xeno nucleic acid (XNA) as information carriers.^[3] It also focuses on an expanded genetic code^[4] and the incorporation of non-proteinogenic amino acids, or “xeno amino acids” into proteins.^[5]^[6]

^ Budisa, Nediljko; Kubyshkin, Vladimir; Schmidt, Markus (22 April 2020). "Xenobiology: A Journey towards Parallel Life Forms". ChemBioChem. 21 (16): 2228–2231. doi:10.1002/cbic.202000141. PMID 32323410.
^ Schmidt, Markus (9 March 2010). "Xenobiology: A new form of life as the ultimate biosafety tool". BioEssays. 32 (4): 322–31. doi:10.1002/bies.200900147. PMC 2909387. PMID 20217844.
^ Pinheiro, V.B.; Holliger, P. (2012). "The XNA world: Progress towards replication and evolution of synthetic genetic polymers". Current Opinion in Chemical Biology. 16 (3–4): 245–52. doi:10.1016/j.cbpa.2012.05.198. PMID 22704981.
^ Bain, J. D.; Switzer, C.; Chamberlin, R.; Benner, Steven A. (1992). "Ribosome-mediated incorporation of a non-standard amino acid into a peptide through expansion of the genetic code". Nature. 356 (6369): 537–39. Bibcode:1992Natur.356..537B. doi:10.1038/356537a0. PMID 1560827. S2CID 4286160.
^ Noren, C.J.; Anthony-Cahill, S.J.; Griffith, M.C.; Schultz, P.G. (1989). "A general method for site-specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins". Science. 244 (4901): 182–88. Bibcode:1989Sci...244..182N. doi:10.1126/science.2649980. PMID 2649980.
^ Brown, Sean M.; Mayer-Bacon, Christopher; Freeland, Stephen (December 2023). "Xeno Amino Acids: A Look into Biochemistry as We Do Not Know It". Life. 13 (12): 2281. Bibcode:2023Life...13.2281B. doi:10.3390/life13122281. ISSN 2075-1729. PMC 10744825. PMID 38137883.

[1] Budisa, Nediljko; Kubyshkin, Vladimir; Schmidt, Markus (22 April 2020). "Xenobiology: A Journey towards Parallel Life Forms". ChemBioChem. 21 (16): 2228–2231. doi:10.1002/cbic.202000141. PMID 32323410.

[markusschmidt.eu-2] Schmidt, Markus (9 March 2010). "Xenobiology: A new form of life as the ultimate biosafety tool". BioEssays. 32 (4): 322–31. doi:10.1002/bies.200900147. PMC 2909387. PMID 20217844.

[ReferenceA-3] Pinheiro, V.B.; Holliger, P. (2012). "The XNA world: Progress towards replication and evolution of synthetic genetic polymers". Current Opinion in Chemical Biology. 16 (3–4): 245–52. doi:10.1016/j.cbpa.2012.05.198. PMID 22704981.

[4] Bain, J. D.; Switzer, C.; Chamberlin, R.; Benner, Steven A. (1992). "Ribosome-mediated incorporation of a non-standard amino acid into a peptide through expansion of the genetic code". Nature. 356 (6369): 537–39. Bibcode:1992Natur.356..537B. doi:10.1038/356537a0. PMID 1560827. S2CID 4286160.

[5] Noren, C.J.; Anthony-Cahill, S.J.; Griffith, M.C.; Schultz, P.G. (1989). "A general method for site-specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins". Science. 244 (4901): 182–88. Bibcode:1989Sci...244..182N. doi:10.1126/science.2649980. PMID 2649980.

[6] Brown, Sean M.; Mayer-Bacon, Christopher; Freeland, Stephen (December 2023). "Xeno Amino Acids: A Look into Biochemistry as We Do Not Know It". Life. 13 (12): 2281. Bibcode:2023Life...13.2281B. doi:10.3390/life13122281. ISSN 2075-1729. PMC 10744825. PMID 38137883.

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