PCR with an expanded genetic alphabet.

Expansion of the genetic alphabet with a third base pair would lay the foundation for a semisynthetic organism with an expanded genetic code and also have immediate in vitro applications. Previously, the unnatural base pairs formed between d5SICS and either dNaM or dMMO2 were shown to be well-replicated by DNA polymerases under steady-state conditions and also transcribed by T7 RNA polymerase efficiently in either direction. We now demonstrate that DNA containing either the d5SICS-dNaM or d5SICS-dMMO2 unnatural base pair may be amplified by PCR with fidelities and efficiencies that approach those of fully natural DNA. These results further demonstrate that the determinants of a functional unnatural base pair may be designed into predominantly hydrophobic nucleobases with no structural similarity to the natural purines or pyrimidines. Importantly, the results reveal that the unnatural base pairs may function within an expanded genetic alphabet and make possible many in vitro applications.