baseadenine

Baseadenine, commonly referred to simply as adenine, is one of the four canonical nucleobases in the nucleic acids that store genetic information. It is a purine base with a fused two-ring structure and an exocyclic amino group at position 6, giving it the chemical formula C5H5N5. In its nucleoside form, adenine attaches to a sugar molecule to form deoxyadenosine in DNA or adenosine in RNA; when phosphorylated, it becomes the nucleotides AMP, ADP, and ATP, which are vital for cellular energy transfer and metabolism.

In DNA, adenine pairs with thymine through two hydrogen bonds, contributing to the stability of the double helix. In RNA, adenine pairs with uracil. Beyond its role in genetics, adenine is a component of many important biomolecules, including ATP, a primary energy carrier, and cyclic AMP, a signaling molecule. Adenine-containing cofactors such as NAD and FAD participate in a wide range of redox and metabolic reactions.

Biologically, adenine is synthesized de novo in cells via the purine biosynthesis pathway and can also be salvaged from degradation products through purine salvage enzymes. It is widely distributed across organisms and is essential for growth and community viability. In laboratory settings, adenine and its nucleotides are used in molecular biology techniques, systems biology analyses, and various biochemical assays.