Deoxyadenosine

Deoxyadenosine is a nucleoside that is composed of adenine and deoxyribose. It is a component of DNA and plays a crucial role in various biological functions.

Structure

Deoxyadenosine is made up of two parts: a nitrogenous base called adenine and a sugar called deoxyribose. The adenine is attached to the 1' carbon of the deoxyribose, and the 5' carbon of the deoxyribose is available for phosphorylation. This allows deoxyadenosine to be incorporated into the growing DNA chain during DNA replication.

Function

Deoxyadenosine is a building block of DNA. During DNA replication, the enzymes DNA polymerases add deoxyadenosine to the growing DNA chain in the form of its phosphate derivative, deoxyadenosine triphosphate (dATP). The sequence of deoxyadenosine and other nucleosides in a DNA strand carries the genetic information of an organism.

Clinical significance

Abnormal levels of deoxyadenosine can lead to a variety of health problems. For example, an excess of deoxyadenosine can lead to adenosine deaminase deficiency, a genetic disorder that results in immunodeficiency. On the other hand, a deficiency of deoxyadenosine can lead to MNGIE syndrome, a rare genetic disorder characterized by neuropathy, gastrointestinal problems, and encephalopathy.

See also

• Adenosine
• DNA
• Nucleoside
• Adenosine deaminase deficiency
• MNGIE syndrome

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