dUTPdTTP

dUTPdTTP, also known as deoxyuridine diphosphate deoxythymidine triphosphate, is a modified nucleotide. It is structurally similar to deoxythymidine triphosphate (dTTP), a standard building block of DNA, but with a uracil base instead of thymine. This substitution means that dUTPdTTP can be incorporated into DNA during replication or repair processes.

The presence of uracil in DNA is generally considered a mutagenic event, as uracil can mispair with adenine during subsequent replication rounds, leading to C to T transition mutations. However, dUTPdTTP can also arise endogenously through various metabolic pathways, including the degradation of uracil-containing RNA. Cells possess mechanisms to detect and remove uracil from DNA, primarily through the enzyme uracil-DNA glycosylase, which initiates base excision repair.

The study of dUTPdTTP and its effects on DNA integrity is important for understanding mutagenesis and DNA repair pathways. It has also found applications in molecular biology research, such as in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays where the incorporation of dUTPdTTP can be used to label DNA or to prevent primer dimer formation. The balance between dUTPdTTP incorporation and its subsequent removal is crucial for maintaining genomic stability.