Purine Metabolism

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to purine metabolism, including synthesis, degradation, and clinical implications.

Purines

Essential molecules found in all living cells, characterized by a double-ring chemical structure.

Adenine

One of the building blocks of DNA and RNA, functioning as a critical component in energy carriers like ATP.

Guanine

A purine nucleobase that pairs with cytosine in DNA and RNA, playing roles in genetic material.

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

An energy carrier that stores and provides energy for cellular processes.

GTP (Guanosine Triphosphate)

Another energy carrier similar to ATP, involved in protein synthesis and cellular signaling.

De novo synthesis

The process of building purine rings from scratch using various precursor molecules.

PRPP (5-Phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate)

The initial sugar molecule necessary for the formation of nucleotides in purine metabolism.

IMP (Inosine Monophosphate)

The parent nucleotide from which AMP and GMP are synthesized.

Salvage Pathway

A metabolic route that recycles purine bases instead of completely degrading them.

HGPRT (Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase)

A critical enzyme in the salvage pathway that converts hypoxanthine and guanine into nucleotides.

Xanthine Oxidase

An enzyme that oxidizes hypoxanthine to xanthine and xanthine to uric acid in purine degradation.

Gout

A form of arthritis characterized by high levels of uric acid in the blood, leading to joint inflammation.

Allopurinol

A medication that inhibits xanthine oxidase to reduce uric acid levels in gout patients.

Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome

A genetic disorder caused by HGPRT deficiency, leading to excessive uric acid production and severe neurological symptoms.

SCID (Severe Combined Immunodeficiency)

A genetic disorder characterized by a deficiency in adenosine deaminase, causing toxic buildup of dATP and immune dysfunction.