Uracil (Noun)
Meaning
A base containing nitrogen that is found in RNA (but not in DNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine.
Classification
Nouns denoting substances.
Examples
- Uracil is one of the four nucleotide bases found in the RNA molecule, alongside adenine, guanine, and cytosine.
- The pairing of adenine and uracil in RNA is similar to the pairing of adenine and thymine in DNA.
- Uracil plays a crucial role in the replication and transcription of RNA, forming base pairs with adenine to stabilize the molecule.
- The molecular structure of uracil consists of a pyrimidine ring with a nitrogen atom at the 1 and 3 positions.
- Uracil is unique to RNA and replaces thymine, which is found in DNA, due to its different molecular properties and reactivity.