1. The polymerase error rate is 10⁻⁶. A mammalian genome is 3,000 Mbp, so in a hypothetical continuous replication of DNA it could result in 3000 mutations. Most of the genome is non-coding, in addition, most replication errors are corrected by polymerase proofreading mechanisms.
2. With four nucleotides in DNA and codons made of triplets of these, there could potentially be 64 combinations to form amino acids. However, there are only 20 amino acids in practice. This is because the genetic code is degenerated, which makes it more robust to mutations.
Questions from Dr. LeProust:
1. What’s the most commonly used method for oligo synthesis currently? Phosphoramidite chemistry synthesis.
2. Why is it difficult to make oligos longer than 200nt via direct synthesis? Because of accumulation of errors.
3. Why can’t you make a 2000bp gene via direct oligo synthesis? Because of accumulation of errors.
Questions from George Church:
The Smart Red Blood Cells (Smart-RBC) project aims to improve the body’s natural capabilities. Since it does not involve human experimentation but only organ prototypes, ethical barriers would not apply. One potential application would be improving performance in low-oxygen environment