Hachimoji DNA (from Japanese 八文字 hachimoji, "eight letters") is a synthetic nucleic acid analog that uses four synthetic nucleotides in addition to the four present in the natural nucleic acids, DNA and RNA. This leads to four allowed base pairs: two unnatural base pairs formed by the synthetic nucleobases in addition to the two normal pairs. Hachimoji bases have been demonstrated in both DNA and RNA analogs, using deoxyribose and ribose respectively as the backbone sugar.[1][2][3][4][5]
Benefits of such a nucleic acid system may include an enhanced ability to store data, as well as insights into what may be possible in the search for extraterrestrial life.[5][6]
The hachimoji DNA system produced one type of catalytic RNA (ribozyme or aptamer) in vitro.
- ^ Hoshika S, Leal NA, Kim MJ, Kim MS, Karalkar NB, Kim HJ, Bates AM, Watkins NE, SantaLucia HA, Meyer AJ, DasGupta S, Ellington AD, SantaLucia J, Georgiadis MM, Benner SA (February 2019). "Hachimoji DNA and RNA: A genetic system with eight building blocks". Science. 363 (6429): 884–887. Bibcode:2019Sci...363..884H. doi:10.1126/science.aat0971. PMC 6413494. PMID 30792304.
- ^ American Association for the Advancement of Science (21 February 2019). "Hachimoji – Expanding the genetic alphabet from four to eight". EurekAlert!. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- ^ Brown D, Landau E (21 February 2019). "Research creates DNA-like molecule to aid search for alien life". Phys.org. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- ^ Dumé B (22 February 2019). "Hachimoji DNA doubles the genetic code". Physics World. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- ^ a b Zimmer C (21 February 2019). "DNA Gets a New — and Bigger — Genetic Alphabet - DNA is spelled out with four letters, or bases. Researchers have now built a system with eight. It may hold clues to the potential for life elsewhere in the universe and could also expand our capacity to store digital data on Earth". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
- ^ Dvorsky G (22 February 2019). "Freaky Eight-Letter DNA Could Be the Stuff Aliens Are Made Of". Gizmodo. Retrieved 23 February 2019.