A laboratory at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California has created an organism that lives and stably harbors synthetic DNA. All forms of known life have DNA formed of just two chemical base pairs known simply as A-T and C-G. However, this new lifeform contains a man-made base pair called d5SICS-dNAM. Scientists are attempting to expand the natural boundaries of what constitutes life so that they can eventually create new proteins that can enhance our lives as well as potentially attack disease. The newly created cells need a special chemical additive to survive so that if they escape from the lab they won't reproduce in nature. This work differs from other work because it uses a synthetic component. "Synthorx Inc., a San Diego-based biotechnology company, has exclusive rights to the synthetic biology from Scripps. The company plans to focus on developing the technology for use in vaccines, medicines and diagnostics, the company said yesterday in a statement."
