Base analogue

Base Analogue

A base analogue is a chemical compound that can substitute for a natural nucleobase in nucleic acids. Scientists use base analogues as a tool in molecular biology, genetics, and biochemistry to induce mutations or to study the mechanism of DNA replication and transcription.

Structure and Function

Base analogues have a structure similar to that of the natural bases found in DNA and RNA. They can be incorporated into the growing polynucleotide chain during DNA replication or RNA transcription. Once incorporated, they can pair with a different base than the one the natural base would pair with, leading to a mutation.

Types of Base Analogues

There are several types of base analogues, including purine analogues, pyrimidine analogues, and others that do not fit into these categories. Some common examples include 5-bromouracil, 2-aminopurine, and 5-fluorouracil.

Purine Analogues

Purine analogues are base analogues that mimic the structure of the purine bases adenine and guanine. An example is 2-aminopurine, which can pair with both thymine and cytosine, leading to transitions or transversions.

Pyrimidine Analogues

Pyrimidine analogues mimic the structure of the pyrimidine bases cytosine, thymine, and uracil. An example is 5-bromouracil, which can pair with both adenine and guanine, leading to transitions or transversions.

Applications

Base analogues have several applications in research and medicine. They are used in molecular biology to study the mechanisms of DNA replication and transcription. In genetics, they are used to induce mutations and study their effects. In medicine, some base analogues are used as chemotherapeutic agents.

See Also

• Nucleic acid analogue
• Antimetabolite
• Chemotherapy