Hachimoji DNA and RNA: A genetic system with eight building blocks

We report DNA- and RNA-like systems built from eight nucleotide "letters" (hence the name "hachimoji") that form four orthogonal pairs. These synthetic systems meet the structural requirements needed to support Darwinian evolution, including a polyelectrolyte backbone, predictable thermodynamic stability, and stereoregular building blocks that fit a Schrödinger aperiodic crystal. Measured thermodynamic parameters predict the stability of hachimoji duplexes, allowing hachimoji DNA to increase the information density of natural terran DNA. Three crystal structures show that the synthetic building blocks do not perturb the aperiodic crystal seen in the DNA double helix. Hachimoji DNA was then transcribed to give…

• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy

  Awards: 76SF00515, P41GM103393, DE-AC02, AC02-76SF00515, DE-AC02-
• NA
  National Aeronautics and Space Administration

  Award: NNX15AF46G
• JT
  John Templeton Foundation

  Award: 54466
• TW
  Templeton World Charity Foundation

  Award: 0092/AB57
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: R01GM102489, R01GM128186, 5 R01 GM102489-07, P41GM103393, HDTRA1-13-1-0004, R41GM119494, DE-AC02-76SF00515
• DT
  Defense Threat Reduction Agency

  Awards: HDTRA1, HDTRA1-13-1-0004
• OO
  Office of Science

  Awards: AC02-76SF00515, P41GM103393, DE-AC02-76SF00515, DE-AC02, 76SF00515
• NI
  National Institute of General Medical Sciences

  Awards: R01GM102489, P41GM103393, DE-AC02-76SF00515, R01GM128186
• BE
  Basic Energy Sciences

  Awards: DE-AC02, DE-AC02-76SF00515, P41GM103393, 76SF00515, AC02-76SF00515
• BA
  Biological and Environmental Research

  Awards: DE-AC02-76SF00515, P41GM103393
• SN
  SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

  Awards: P41GM103393, AC02-76SF00515, DE-AC02-76SF00515