Nucleotide

Nucleotides are <a href="/facts/Organic_compound/gqCNaN45">organic molecules</a> composed of a nitrogenous base, a <a href="/facts/Pentose/BScECY9L">pentose</a> sugar and a <a href="/facts/Phosphate/FDGVCxUG">phosphate</a>. They serve as <a href="/facts/Monomer/Gw3CltMb">monomeric</a> units of the <a href="/facts/Nucleic_acid/2tTgcI0v">nucleic acid</a> <a href="/facts/Polymers/eF32E50K">polymers</a> – <a href="/facts/Deoxyribonucleic_acid/nB89Iauz">deoxyribonucleic acid</a> (DNA) and <a href="/facts/Ribonucleic_acid/HxPeNfNj">ribonucleic acid</a> (RNA), both of which are essential <a href="/facts/Biomolecules/DGvFzN7R">biomolecules</a> within all <a href="/facts/Life/DNw7NUId">life-forms</a> on Earth. Nucleotides are obtained in the diet and are also synthesized from common <a href="/facts/Nutrient/34bn4skK">nutrients</a> by the <a href="/facts/Liver/Rtp4Fk2b">liver</a>.
Nucleotides are composed of three subunit molecules: a <a href="/facts/Nucleobase/zj1Vl9Qh">nucleobase</a>, a <a href="/facts/Pentose/BScECY9L">five-carbon sugar</a> (<a href="/facts/Ribose/VFKYCzPV">ribose</a> or <a href="/facts/Deoxyribose/aPARaxLX">deoxyribose</a>), and a phosphate group consisting of one to three <a href="/facts/Phosphate/FDGVCxUG">phosphates</a>. The four nucleobases in DNA are <a href="/facts/Guanine/hoTSpz0x">guanine</a>, <a href="/facts/Adenine/PSeDFBnl">adenine</a>, <a href="/facts/Cytosine/JW20j33u">cytosine</a>, and <a href="/facts/Thymine/A5C8MnLN">thymine</a>; in RNA, <a href="/facts/Uracil/KUAcYYpQ">uracil</a> is used in place of thymine.
Nucleotides also play a central role in <a href="/facts/Metabolism/WxDrm8k5">metabolism</a> at a fundamental, cellular level. They provide chemical energy—in the form of the <a href="/facts/Nucleoside_triphosphate/cmhLQj6s">nucleoside triphosphates</a>, <a href="/facts/Adenosine_triphosphate/nB9bwgcU">adenosine triphosphate</a> (ATP), <a href="/facts/Guanosine_triphosphate/NAwoHjTW">guanosine triphosphate</a> (GTP), <a href="/facts/Cytidine_triphosphate/WSfrrdH2">cytidine triphosphate</a> (CTP), and <a href="/facts/Uridine_triphosphate/5Dw5JaG2">uridine triphosphate</a> (UTP)—throughout the cell for the many cellular functions that demand energy, including: <a href="/facts/Amino_acid/WDxYwBny">amino acid</a>, <a href="/facts/Protein/Jxmagu3E">protein</a> and <a href="/facts/Cell_membrane/vAXSD0DT">cell membrane</a> synthesis, moving the cell and cell parts (both internally and intercellularly), cell division, etc.. In addition, nucleotides participate in <a href="/facts/Cell_signaling/6oYAVP9I">cell signaling</a> (<a href="/facts/Cyclic_guanosine_monophosphate/zsge65d9">cyclic guanosine monophosphate</a> or cGMP and <a href="/facts/Cyclic_adenosine_monophosphate/flK2vwUe">cyclic adenosine monophosphate</a> or cAMP) and are incorporated into important <a href="/facts/Cofactor_(biochemistry)/AGo0PCUU">cofactors</a> of enzymatic reactions (e.g., <a href="/facts/Coenzyme_A/loAfeGpx">coenzyme A</a>, <a href="/facts/Flavin_adenine_dinucleotide/uzADx3ES">FAD</a>, <a href="/facts/Flavin_mononucleotide/cWutCJmR">FMN</a>, <a href="/facts/Nicotinamide_adenine_dinucleotide/BHdLW925">NAD</a>, and <a href="/facts/NADP%252B/XMgmPQ5t">NADP+</a>).
In experimental <a href="/facts/Biochemistry/fa2pWEBp">biochemistry</a>, nucleotides can be <a href="/facts/Radiolabeled/0210Jncn">radiolabeled</a> using <a href="/facts/Radionuclide/5WpCfbdq">radionuclides</a> to yield radionucleotides.
5-nucleotides are also used in <a href="/facts/Flavour_enhancer/sGR38zXy">flavour enhancers</a> as <a href="/facts/Food_additive/jGk8zjn8">food additive</a> to enhance the <a href="/facts/Umami/H3otVQWf">umami</a> taste, often in the form of a yeast extract.

Nucleotide open-in-new

Nucleotide