Nucleotide Metabolism Lecture Notes

This set of flashcards summarizes key concepts, terms, and processes related to nucleotide metabolism, including pathways of synthesis, degradation, and regulation in both purine and pyrimidine metabolism.

Pyrimidine

A type of nitrogenous base in nucleic acids, characterized by a single six-membered ring.

Purine

A type of nitrogenous base in nucleic acids, characterized by a fused double ring structure.

Nucleoside

A molecule consisting of a nitrogenous base attached to a sugar.

Nucleotide

A building block of nucleic acids, made up of a nitrogenous base, a sugar, and one or more phosphate groups.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate, the primary energy currency of the cell.

dATP

Deoxyadenosine triphosphate, a nucleotide used in DNA synthesis.

CMP

Cytidine monophosphate, a nucleotide that is a building block of RNA.

CDP

Cytidine diphosphate, a phosphorylated form of CMP.

CTP

Cytidine triphosphate, a nucleotide involved in RNA synthesis.

GMP

Guanosine monophosphate, a nucleotide that serves as a building block in RNA.

GDP

Guanosine diphosphate, a phosphorylated form of GMP.

GTP

Guanosine triphosphate, a nucleotide that serves as energy and a substrate in protein synthesis.

UMP

Uridine monophosphate, a nucleotide that is part of RNA.

UDP

Uridine diphosphate, a phosphorylated form of UMP.

UTP

Uridine triphosphate, involved in the synthesis of RNA.

Thymidine

A nucleoside consisting of the base thymine attached to deoxyribose.

Deoxyribose

A five-carbon sugar molecule in DNA.

Ribose

A five-carbon sugar molecule in RNA.

Ribonucleotide reductase

An enzyme that reduces ribonucleotides to deoxyribonucleotides.

NMP Kinases

Enzymes that convert nucleoside monophosphates into diphosphates.

NDP Kinase

An enzyme that converts nucleoside diphosphates into triphosphates.

RNR

Short for ribonucleotide reductase, critical for DNA synthesis.

Allosteric Regulation

Regulation of an enzyme's activity through binding at a site other than the active site.

Catabolism of Nucleotides

The process of breaking down nucleotides into their constituent parts.

Gout

A medical condition characterized by excess uric acid in the blood, causing joint pain.

Hypoxanthine

A purine base that is a product of purine degradation.

Adenosine Deaminase

An enzyme that converts adenosine into inosine.

Nucleotidase

An enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of nucleotides into nucleosides and phosphates.

Orotate

An intermediate in the synthesis of pyrimidines.

PRPP

Phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate, an important intermediate in nucleotide synthesis.

Dihydrofolate (DHF)

An inactive form of folate that is converted to the active form, tetrahydrofolate.

Cyclization

The formation of a closed ring structure in biochemical reactions.

Inosine Monophosphate (IMP)

A nucleotide that is a precursor in the synthesis of both AMP and GMP.

Xanthine Oxidase

An enzyme involved in the oxidation of hypoxanthine and xanthine to uric acid.

Thymidylate Synthase (TS)

An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of dUMP to dTMP using active folate.

Cancer Therapy

Medical treatment targeting cancer cells, often involving drugs that inhibit nucleotide synthesis.

FdUMP

A fluorinated deoxyuridine analog that acts as a suicide inhibitor of TS.

Methotrexate

A drug that inhibits dihydrofolate reductase, affecting folate metabolism.

Gemcitabine

A nucleoside analog used in cancer treatment that inhibits ribonucleotide reductase.

Uracil

A nitrogenous base that pairs with adenine in RNA.

Cytidine

A nucleoside consisting of cytosine attached to ribose.

Deamination

The removal of an amine group from a molecule.

Uric Acid

The end product of purine degradation in humans.

NADPH

Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, a cofactor used in anabolic reactions.

Coenzyme A (CoA)

A coenzyme that carries acyl groups in metabolic reactions.

Folic Acid

A B vitamin essential for the synthesis of nucleic acids.

Ribonucleotide

A nucleotide containing ribose, used in RNA.

Deoxyribonucleotide

A nucleotide containing deoxyribose, used in DNA.

Serine Hydroxymethyltransferase

An enzyme that transfers a methyl group and is involved in the synthesis of active folate.

Alkynes

A class of organic compounds containing carbon-carbon triple bonds.

Suicide Inhibitor

A molecule that binds irreversibly to an enzyme and inhibits its function.

Phosphorylase

An enzyme that catalyzes the addition of phosphate to a molecule.

Glycine

An amino acid that can be used to produce active folate.

Hydrolase

An enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of chemical bonds.

Tetrahydrofolate (THF)

The active form of folate involved in one-carbon metabolism.

Xanthine

A purine base that can be further oxidized to uric acid.

Orotidine-5'-monophosphate

An intermediate in pyrimidine synthesis.

Cytidine Triphosphate (CTP)

A nucleotide that plays a role in RNA synthesis.

De Novo Synthesis

The process of synthesizing nucleotides from non-nucleotide precursors.

Salvage Pathway

A pathway that recycles nucleobases and nucleosides to form nucleotides.

Uridine

A nucleoside consisting of uracil attached to ribose.

Thyroid Hormone

Hormones produced by the thyroid gland that regulate metabolism.

Adenine

A purine base found in DNA and RNA.

Guanosine

A nucleoside consisting of guanine attached to ribose.

Uridine Monophosphate (UMP)

The monosodium salt of uridine, which is a nucleotide.

Cytoplasmic Metabolism

Metabolism occurring within the cytoplasm of a cell.

R1 and R2 Subunits of RNR

The two components that form the active ribonucleotide reductase enzyme.

dUMP

Deoxyuridine monophosphate, a product in the dTMP synthesis pathway.

Base Pairs

The pairs of nitrogenous bases on complementary DNA strands.

Regulatory Enzymes

Enzymes that control metabolic pathways through feedback inhibition or activation.

Aspartate

An amino acid used in the synthesis of nucleotides.

2-Hydroxyglutarate

An oncometabolite that can affect epigenetic regulation.

Deoxythymidine

A nucleoside formed by the attachment of deoxyribose to thymine.

Thymidine Phosphorylase

An enzyme that converts thymidine to its nucleoside form.

FADH2

A reduced coenzyme that participates in the electron transport chain.

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)

Highly reactive molecules that can damage cellular components.

Adenylate Kinase

An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of AMP back to ADP and ATP.

Thymine

A pyrimidine base found in DNA.

Pyrimidine Nucleotide Metabolism

The process of synthesis and degradation of pyrimidine nucleotides.

Coenzymes

Non-protein compounds that assist enzymes in biochemical reactions.

2-Amino Acid

An organic compound containing both an amine and a carboxyl group.

Guanosine Diphosphate (GDP)

A nucleotide used as a signaling molecule.

Cationic Protein

A protein that carries a positive charge at physiological pH.

Carbonyl Phosphate Synthase

An enzyme that catalyzes the formation of carbonyl phosphate from bicarbonate and ammonia.

Faster Profiling

Methodology used to analyze metabolic pathways more quickly.

Lipid Metabolism

The process of synthesis and degradation of lipids in the body.

Deoxythymidine Monophosphate (dTMP)

A nucleotide involved in DNA synthesis and repair.

Metabolic Flux

The rate at which metabolites are produced or consumed.

Thym差

An abbreviation for an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of nucleotides.

Side Chain

Represents the variable group in amino acids.

Transamination

The transfer of an amino group from one molecule to another.

GTP-Dependent Enzyme

An enzyme that requires GTP to function.

Hormonal Regulation

Control of physiological processes by hormones.

Nucleosome Formation

The process by which DNA wraps around histone proteins to form nucleosomes.

Serine

An amino acid that is a precursor in the synthesis of nucleotides.

Guanosine Monophosphate (GMP)

A nucleotide used in RNA and as a signaling molecule.

Inhibitory Mechanism

The processes that hinder enzyme activity or metabolic pathways.

Glutamic Acid

An amino acid that can be synthesized from α-ketoglutarate.

Hormones

Chemical messengers that regulate physiological functions.

Sugar Molecule

A basic building block of carbohydrates.