Alumni and Former Staff
Ph.D. Student
The Pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase (PylRS) and its cognate tRNAPyl are used to facilitate the incorporation of non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) into the genetic code of bacterial and eukaryotic cells. Currently, the incorporation of new ncAAs requires a cumbersome engineering process. The high speed and sensitivity of our approach provides a competitive alternative to existing screening methodologies, and delivers insights into the complex PylRS-substrate interactions to facilitate the generation of additional promiscuous variants.