Nucleobase

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

(Redirected from Nucleic base)

Nucleobase

A nucleobase is a basic nitrogen-containing molecule that forms the building block of the genetic molecules DNA and RNA. They are an essential part of the genetic code, and are crucial for the storage and transmission of genetic information in cells.

Structure[edit | edit source]

Nucleobases are composed of a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar, and at least one phosphate group. The nitrogenous base can be either a purine (adenine and guanine) or a pyrimidine (cytosine, thymine, and uracil). The sugar is either ribose (in RNA) or deoxyribose (in DNA).

Function[edit | edit source]

Nucleobases are involved in the formation of base pairs, which are the building blocks of the DNA double helix and the RNA single strand. They are also involved in the process of protein synthesis, where they act as a template for the assembly of amino acids into proteins.

Types of Nucleobases[edit | edit source]

There are five primary nucleobases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), thymine (T), and uracil (U). Adenine pairs with thymine in DNA and with uracil in RNA, while guanine pairs with cytosine in both DNA and RNA.

Adenine[edit | edit source]

Adenine is a purine nucleobase. It pairs with thymine in DNA and with uracil in RNA.

Guanine[edit | edit source]

Guanine is also a purine nucleobase. It pairs with cytosine in both DNA and RNA.

Cytosine[edit | edit source]

Cytosine is a pyrimidine nucleobase. It pairs with guanine in both DNA and RNA.

Thymine[edit | edit source]

Thymine is a pyrimidine nucleobase. It pairs with adenine in DNA.

Uracil[edit | edit source]

Uracil is a pyrimidine nucleobase. It pairs with adenine in RNA.

See Also[edit | edit source]

Nucleobase Resources
Wikipedia
WikiMD
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes

Search WikiMD

Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD

WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Let Food Be Thy Medicine
Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates

Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD