Ribopurines

Ribopurines are a class of nucleobases that are attached to a ribose sugar. They are fundamental building blocks of ribonucleic acid (RNA), a vital molecule involved in various biological processes, including gene expression and protein synthesis. The two primary ribopurines found in RNA are adenine (A) and guanine (G). These purine bases are characterized by their double-ringed molecular structure. In RNA, adenine typically pairs with uracil (U), and guanine pairs with cytosine (C), forming the characteristic double helix structure of RNA molecules. The precise sequence of these bases along an RNA strand dictates the genetic information it carries. Ribopurines are essential for the stability and function of RNA. Their presence and specific arrangement are critical for processes such as transcription, where genetic information from DNA is copied into RNA, and translation, where RNA is used as a template to synthesize proteins. Modifications to ribopurines can occur and play roles in regulating RNA function, although these are less common than in DNA.