adenine
Meaning
a compound which is one of the four constituent bases of nucleic acids. a purine derivative, it is paired with thymine in double-stranded dna.
Structure
Usage
adenine forms two hydrogen bonds with thymine in the dna double helix.
the scientist studied the role of adenine in cellular energy transfer as part of the atp molecule.
a mutation occurred where a cytosine base was replaced by an adenine.
Etymology
the name adenine was coined in the late 19th century by the german researcher albrecht kossel, who isolated it from pancreatic tissue. he derived the term from the greek word 'adēn' (gland), reflecting the substance's initial source from an animal gland. the suffix -ine, commonly used in chemical nomenclature for nitrogenous bases and other organic compounds, was appended to denote its chemical nature. thus, the word's literal construction, "gland substance," directly records its historical origin, even though adenine is now known to be a fundamental component of dna and rna in all living organisms, far beyond its initial glandular discovery.
Analysis
aden is from greek 'adēn', meaning 'gland'. ine is a suffix of greek/latin origin used in chemistry to form names of substances, especially alkaloids, amines, and amino acids.