dideoxyadenosine

Dideoxyadenosine is a synthetic analog of adenosine, a nucleoside that is a component of DNA and RNA. It is commonly used in molecular biology and biochemistry research. The structure of dideoxyadenosine differs from adenosine in that it lacks a hydroxyl group at the 2' position of the ribose sugar, which is replaced by a hydrogen atom. This modification makes dideoxyadenosine resistant to cleavage by DNA polymerases, a property that is exploited in various techniques.

One of the most notable applications of dideoxyadenosine is in the Sanger dideoxy sequencing method, which is widely used for DNA sequencing. In this technique, dideoxyadenosine is incorporated into DNA strands during replication, terminating the chain elongation process. This termination allows for the determination of the sequence of nucleotides in a DNA sample.

Dideoxyadenosine is also used in other molecular biology techniques, such as primer extension and DNA fingerprinting. Its resistance to DNA polymerase cleavage makes it a valuable tool for studying DNA structure and function. However, its synthetic nature and potential toxicity require careful handling and disposal.

In summary, dideoxyadenosine is a modified nucleoside with unique properties that make it a valuable tool in molecular biology research. Its resistance to DNA polymerase cleavage is particularly useful in techniques that rely on chain termination, such as DNA sequencing.