Expanding the Genetic Code in Leishmania tarentolae: A Novel Platform for Membrane Protein Expression with Unnatural Amino Acids

Unnatural amino acids (UAAs) are powerful tools for investigating protein structure and dynamics. Their inclusion in a protein can help reveal important details about its functions and structural features, especially with respect to membrane proteins. However, efficient incorporation of UAAs into membrane proteins remains a challenge. In this review, we explore using Leishmania tarentolae (LEXSY) as a host system to express membrane proteins with incorporated UAAs, aiming to develop a versatile platform for future research and drug discovery.