Biologists testing a new single-cell DNA sequencing technique have **accidentally uncovered a microscopic organism that defies near-universal rules of life**. While examining a previously unknown protist collected from a pond at Oxford University Parks, researchers from the Earlham Institute discovered a non-canonical genetic code. Instead of using specific genetic stop codons (UAA and UAG) to mark the end of a gene, this organism translates them into two entirely different amino acids. This extraordinary exception to standard molecular biology provides synthetic biologists with fresh insights into how genetic codes evolve and how natural organisms can be engineered with unique biological capabilities.
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