Ribose
is a pentose (five-carbon sugar) that is a component
of the ribonucleic acid (RNA), where it alternates with
phosphate groups to form the 'back-bone' of the RNA
polymer and binds to nitrogenous bases. Ribose phosphates
are components of the nucleotide coenzymes and are utilized
by microorganisms in the synthesis of the amino acid
histidine. Its close relative, deoxyribose, is a constituent
of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), where it alternates
with phosphate groups to form the 'back-bone' of the
DNA polymer and binds to nitrogenous bases. The presence
of deoxyribose instead of ribose is one difference between
DNA and RNA. Ribose has one more oxygen atom in its
molecule than deoxyribose. Ribose has a five member
ring composed of four carbon atoms and one oxygen. Hydroxyl
groups are attached to three of the carbons. The other
carbon and a hydroxyl group are attached to one of the
carbon atoms adjacent to the oxygen. In deoxyribose,
the carbon furthest from the attached carbon is stripped
of the oxygen atom in what would be a hydroxyl group
in ribose. The sugar (ribose or deoxyribose) molecules
in the nucleic acid are all oriented in the same direction.
Their carbon atoms are numbered: the 5' carbon atom
is always on the side of the sugar molecule that faces
the leading end, while the 3' carbon atom always faces
the tail end. Nucleotide is the structural unit of a
nucleic acid. A nucleotide consists of either a nitrogenous
heterocyclic base (purine or pyrimidine) , a pentose
sugar (ribose or deoxyribose) and a phosphate group
attached at the 5' position on the sugar. A nucleoside
consists of only a pentose sugar linked to a purine
or pyrimidine base, without a phosphate group. Purine
bases are Adenine, Guanine and Hypoxanthine (examples
of purine nucleosides are Adenosine, 2'-Deoxyadenosine,
Guanosine, 2'-Deoxyguanosine, Inosine, 2'-Deoxyinosine).
Pyrimidine bases are Cytosine, Thymine, and Uracil (examples
of pyrimidine nucleosides are Cytidine, 2'-Deoxyguanosine,
5-Methyluridine, 2'-Deoxy-5-Methyluridine, Uridine,
2'-Deoxyuridine). The nucleoside derivatives are involved
in important functions in cellular metabolism and are
used to synthesize enzyme inhibitors, antiviral agents,
and anticancer agents.
Guanosine: a purine nucleoside composed of guanine linked by its N9 nitrogen to
the C1 carbon of ribose. It is a component of ribonucleic acid and its
nucleotides (GMP, GDP, GTP, cGMP) play important roles in biochemical processes
such as synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins, photosynthesis, muscle
contraction and intracellular signal transduction (cGMP). GMP, GDP, GTP are
three interconvertible compounds in which Guanosine is attached through its
ribose group to one (monophosphate), two (diphosphate), and three (triphosphate)
phosphoric acid molecules. Symbol G. Deoxyguanosine: a purine nucleoside,
guanine linked by its N9 nitrogen to the C1 carbon of
deoxyribose.
- Guanine:a pyrimidine base
- Guanosine Triphosphate (GTP) : a nucleotide composed of
guanine, the sugar ribose, and three phosphate groups; the source of the
guanosine found in RNA and also involved in many cellular processes, including
microtubule assembly, protein synthesis, and cell signaling, due to the energy
it releases upon removal of its terminal phosphate group (yielding GDP). The
ratio of GTP to ATP is maintained by the reversible transfer of phosphate
catalyzed by GDP kinase.
- Guanosine diphosphate (GDP) : a nucleotide
composed of pyrophosphate of guanosine which serves as a carrier for mannose
residues in glycoprotein synthesis and as a substrate for a phosphorylation
reaction of the tricarboxylic acid cycle.
- Guanosine monophosphate (GMP,
aso known as guanylic acid)
: a nucleotide composed of pyrophosphate of guanosine which is formed during the
hydrolysis of nucleic acidis and is a regulator of pyrimidine nucleotide
biosynthesis.
- Cyclic guanosine
monophosphate (cGMP); 3',5'-cyclic ester of guanosine monophosphate that serves as an
intracellular secondary involved its direct effects on Na+ and Ca2+ channels in the
plasma membrane of rod cells. Its action is similar to that of cyclic adenosine
monophosphate, but the two cyclic nucleotides activate different protein kinases
and usually produce opposite effects on cell function. cGMP acts as an
antagonist to cAMP.
- Deoxyguanosine diphosphate (dGDP) : a nucleotide,
5'-pyrophosphate of deoxyguanosine.
- Deoxyguanosine monophosphate (dGMP) : a
nucleotide, the 5'-phosphate of deoxyguanosine, occurring in deoxyribonucleic
acid.
- Deoxyguanosine monophosphate (dGTP) : a nucleotide, the
5'-triphosphate of deoxyguanosine; the source of the deoxyguanosine in
DNA
Chemically modified nucleotides substituted or attached by special
chemical groups or elements are studied and used to inactivate the normal
biological operation in the living organism, the function of important enzymes,
and cytobiology research.
|