Scientists at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in California have made progress in the field of synthetic DNA. The researchers have shown that cells can recognize and use synthetic nucleotides to produce proteins. This discovery has potential applications in designing unique proteins and developing new medications. The study focuses on a new version of the genetic alphabet called AEGIS, which incorporates two new base pairs. These synthetic base pairs have a similar structure to natural base pairs, allowing them to be incorporated into the transcription process.