Cytosine
Cytosine is one of the 5 main nucleobases used in storing and transporting genetic information within a cell in the nucleic acids DNA and RNA.
| Cytosine | |
|---|---|
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| IUPAC name | 4-amino-3H-pyrimidin-2-one |
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3D model (JSmol) |
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| ECHA InfoCard | 100.000.681 |
| MeSH | Cytosine |
PubChem CID |
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CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
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SMILES
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| Properties | |
| C4H5N3O | |
| Molar mass | 111.102 |
| Melting point | 320 - 325°C (decomp) |
| Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references | |
In DNA and RNA, cytosine is paired with guanine. However, it is unstable, and can change into uracil (spontaneous deamination). This can lead to a point mutation if not repaired by the DNA repair enzymes such as uracil glycosylase, which cleaves a uracil in DNA.
Cytosine is the centre of modern genetic research into epigenetics. Methyl groups added to cytosine change the action of genes during lifetime. These changes are not inherited.[1]
References
- Carey, Nessa 2011. The epigenetics revolution: how modern biology is rewriting our understanding of genetics, disease and inheritance. London: Icon Books. ISBN 978-184831347-7
Other websites
- Computational Chemistry Wiki Archived 2005-12-02 at the Wayback Machine
- Shapiro R (1999). "Prebiotic cytosine synthesis: a critical analysis and implications for the origin of life". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 96 (8): 4396–401. doi:10.1073/pnas.96.8.4396. PMC 16343. PMID 10200273.
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