Nucleotides – The building block of life

What are nucleotides? Nucleotides are the building blocks of life and are used to make RNA and DNA. Nucleotides consist of a sugar molecule (either ribose in RNA or deoxyribose in DNA) attached to a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base. The bases used in DNA are adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T). In RNA, thymine (T) is replaced by uracil (U). Modified nucleotides offer a number of advantages for biotechnological applications. They can act as stabilisers, anchors for conjugation strategies, anchors for fluorescent labelling and modified nucelotides address some of the limitations of first-generation nucleic acid therapeutics.

What are nucleotides?

Nucleotides consist of a sugar moiety which is either ribose (RNA) or 2’-deoxyribose (DNA). The sugar molecule of nucleotides is attached to a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base. The bases used in DNA are adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T). In RNA, thymine (T) is replaced by uracil (U). What is the difference of the molecular composition of nucleotides and nucleosides? Nucleosides contain only sugar and a base whereas nucleotides contain sugar, base and a phosphate group as well.

Functions of nucleotides in living organism

Genetic information storage & transmission

Both DNA and RNA are made up of nucleotides. Nucleotides are the smallest structural units and each contain a five-carbon sugar backbone, a phosphate group and a nitrogen base. Nucleotides are linked together by sugar-phosphate backbone bonds to form polynucleotide chains. DNA is a polymer made up of two strands of polynucleotides that form a double helix through hydrogen bonds between the bases. DNA provides the code for all the activities of the cell. RNA, on the other hand, is mostly a single strand of polynucleotide and provides the code for proteins.

Energy transfer by nucleotides

DNA consist of the four nucleotides dATP, dCTP, dTTP, dGTP. Deoxyadenosine triphosphate (dATP) is one of the nucleotides that play an important role in DNA synthesis, replication and repair. ATP’s structure enables efficient energy storage, transfer, and utilization. Each cell contains 1000 – 2500 mitochondria, which produce 10 billion ATPs per day. With 250 g of ATP in the cells at any one time, this is equivalent to the power of an AA battery (4.25 watts). A healthy person produces 1200 watts over the course of a day.

Cell signaling

Nucleotides are also used for cell signaling in numerous signaling pathways in many different organisms. The cyclic nucleotides, adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and guanosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP), have been shown to regulate a wide range of processes in many different tissues of the body and have been suggested to regulate many more. Both nucleotides, are nucleotide derivatives of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and guanosine triphosphate (GTP). Both nucleotides, cAMP and cGMP, cause smooth muscle relaxation in large part through their effects on lowering intracellular calcium or activating myosin phosphatase. cAMP also regulates various cellular functions, including cell growth and differentiation, gene transcription and protein expression. In addition, cAMP is used in cells to transduce the effects of hormones such as glucagon and adrenaline, and is also involved in the activation of protein kinases.

How nucleotides improve muscle growth and recovery

Nucleotides are important for energy production and gene activation in our cells. Nucleotides as they provide the construction map for protein synthesis on RNA sequences, they are important for muscle building. The primary energy transfer molecule in cells, Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), is one of the nucleotides. For efficient protein synthesis and energy production in muscle cells, an sufficient production of nucleotides is therefore essential. In combination with amino acids and nucleotides the muscle production is enhanced compared to the uptake of high doses of protein alone.

Nucleotides and Nucleosides: Understanding the Difference

What is the difference of the molecular composition of nucleotides and nucleosides? Nucleosides contain only sugar and a base whereas nucleotides contain sugar, base and a phosphate group as well. In all organism nucleotides and nucleosides are involved in transmission from the genes to the proteins. In addition, nucleotides and nucleosides are important in the preservation of genetic information. Nucleotides and nucleosides are involved in energy storage processes, cell signaling, and as regulator of metabolism.

Applications of Nucleotides in Research & Health

Nucleotides in Scientific Research & Biotechnology

In biotechnology, nucleotides especially modified nucleotides are invaluable tools in various applications, such as in Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) assays to generate cDNA of RNA pools. Furthermore, in DNA sequencing technologies, including Sanger sequencing and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), they help to determine the order of nucleotides in DNA. Nucleotides are also essential for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) process. During PCR, heat-stable DNA polymerase enzymes use nucleotides as building blocks to extend a newly synthesized DNA strand. This process is to amplify millions of copies of a very small amount of DNA sequences. Two DNA primers, that are complementary to the 3′ end and the anti-sense strand of the DNA target, serve as the starting point of the PCR. Amplification takes place in a series of thermocycling cycles.

Role in Immune Function & Regeneration

The immune system needs newly synthesized nucleotides and nutrients for optimal function, reducing infection risks and improving disease symptoms. Dietary nucleotides benefit lipid metabolism, immunity, and tissue growth, especially in infants. Nucleotides support lymphocyte maturation, activation, and proliferation and enhance IL-6 and IL-8 production in foetal intestinal tissues. Additionally, nucleotides influence gut microorganisms, crucial for immune system function.

High-Purity Nucleotide Products for Research & Industry

Why High-Quality Nucleotides Matter

baseclick is one of the few suppliers of high quality nucleotides in the industry. Our nucleotides including dNTPs, NTPs and modified nucleotides are available in a variety of formats, formulations and quantities. For your applications such as PCR, cDNA synthesis, oligo synthesis and labelling, in vitro transcription and more, it is important to start your synthesis with high quality starting materials. Nucleotide impurities can cause problems in your experiments.