Adenine

Adenine is one of the purine bases which forms part of the composition of nucleic acids.

Structure of adenine

Adenine is a nitrogen base belonging to the purine family (a pyrimidine ring bound to an imidazole ring), whose elemental formula is C₅H₅N₅. Therefore, as the rings are not only composed of carbon, it is a heterocyclic molecule.

Function of adenine

Adenine is involved in the formation of adenosine (in which adenine is bound to a ribose) and is particularly present in nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), AMP, ADP and ATP.

Adenine cannot be produced by the body and is also occasionally described as vitamin B4 (deficiencies of it are rare as it is found in all foods).