Nukleotiddrivere

Nukleotiddrivere, often translated as nucleotide drivers, is a term used in molecular biology to describe cellular components and processes that govern the availability and turnover of nucleotides, the building blocks of DNA and RNA. The phrase is not universally standardized and may be used informally in reviews or discussions to emphasize rate-limiting or controlling steps in nucleotide metabolism.

The concept encompasses multiple layers of control, including de novo biosynthesis, salvage pathways, nucleotide transport, degradation, and regulatory networks that link nucleotide pools to cellular states such as growth, DNA replication, and repair. By framing these elements as drivers, researchers highlight how fluctuations in nucleotide supply can shape genome integrity and cellular fate.

Mechanisms underlying nukleotiddrivere include rate-limiting enzymes (for example, ribonucleotide reductase and thymidylate synthase), feedback regulation by intracellular nucleotide levels, transcriptional and translational control, and post-translational modifications that modulate enzyme activity. Allosteric regulation and signals reflecting energy status and nutrient availability further couple nucleotide production to the cell cycle and to responses to DNA damage or replication stress.

Clinical and research relevance arises because rapidly proliferating cells, such as cancer cells, often exhibit elevated nucleotide synthesis to support genome replication. Viewing nucleotide metabolism through the lens of nukleotiddrivere helps frame therapeutic strategies, including inhibitors targeting key enzymes in nucleotide biosynthesis and salvage pathways, as well as approaches aimed at disrupting nucleotide balance in diseased cells.

See also: Nucleotide metabolism, Ribonucleotide reductase, Thymidylate synthase.