Thymidine

From WikiMD.com Medical Encyclopedia

Thymidine[edit | edit source]

Chemical structure of thymidine

Thymidine is a nucleoside composed of the pyrimidine base thymine attached to a deoxyribose sugar. It is one of the four nucleosides in DNA, the others being adenosine, cytidine, and guanosine. Thymidine is crucial for the replication and repair of DNA, playing a vital role in the cell cycle and cell division.

Structure[edit | edit source]

Thymidine consists of the base thymine linked to a deoxyribose sugar via a _-N1-glycosidic bond. The chemical formula of thymidine is C10H14N2O5. The deoxyribose sugar in thymidine lacks a hydroxyl group at the 2' position, distinguishing it from ribose found in RNA nucleosides.

Function[edit | edit source]

Thymidine is incorporated into DNA during the S phase of the cell cycle. It pairs with adenine through two hydrogen bonds, maintaining the stability of the DNA double helix. Thymidine is also involved in the DNA repair process, where it helps to replace damaged or mismatched bases.

Synthesis[edit | edit source]

Thymidine can be synthesized in cells through the salvage pathway or the de novo synthesis pathway. In the salvage pathway, thymidine is formed from thymine and deoxyribose-1-phosphate. In the de novo pathway, thymidine is synthesized from deoxyuridine monophosphate (dUMP) through the action of the enzyme thymidylate synthase.

Clinical Significance[edit | edit source]

Thymidine analogs, such as zidovudine (AZT), are used as antiretroviral drugs in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. These analogs interfere with viral DNA synthesis, inhibiting the replication of the virus. Thymidine is also used in thymidine labeling techniques to study cell proliferation.

Related pages[edit | edit source]

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 The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes.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, categories Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD