APURINIC DNA Meaning and
Definition
-
Apurinic DNA, also known as AP DNA, is a type of DNA molecule that has undergone a significant modification or damage. Specifically, it refers to DNA strands that have lost their purine bases, adenine (A) or guanine (G), due to chemical or enzymatic actions.
Purines are one of the two types of nitrogenous bases found in DNA, with the other being pyrimidines (thymine [T] and cytosine [C]). When a purine base is removed from the DNA molecule, it creates a gap, or an apurinic site, in the DNA strand. This can occur through various mechanisms, such as spontaneous hydrolysis, exposure to environmental factors (e.g., radiation or chemicals), or as a result of enzymatic processes that target and remove damaged bases.
The presence of apurinic sites in DNA is highly mutagenic and can lead to genetic instability if left unrepaired. To maintain the integrity of the genome, cells have developed specialized repair mechanisms, such as the base excision repair pathway, to identify and replace the missing purine bases. Failure to repair apurinic sites can result in DNA replication errors, mutations, or even cell death.
Studying apurinic DNA and the repair processes associated with it is crucial for understanding DNA damage and repair mechanisms as well as their implications in various biological processes, including aging, carcinogenesis, and disease progression. Numerous studies have focused on developing therapeutic strategies and interventions that target apurinic DNA repair pathways to prevent genetic instability and diseases associated with DNA damage.
Common Misspellings for APURINIC DNA
- zpurinic dna
- spurinic dna
- wpurinic dna
- qpurinic dna
- aourinic dna
- alurinic dna
- a0urinic dna
- apyrinic dna
- aphrinic dna
- apjrinic dna
- apirinic dna
- ap8rinic dna
- ap7rinic dna
- apueinic dna
- apudinic dna
- apufinic dna
- aputinic dna
- apu5inic dna
- apu4inic dna
- apurunic dna
Etymology of APURINIC DNA
The word "apurinic" is derived from Latin and Greek roots.
The Latin root "a-" means "without" or "lacking", while the Greek root "purine" refers to a type of organic compound.
In DNA, apurinic refers to a state in which a purine (adenine or guanine) base has been lost due to chemical or enzymatic cleavage, leaving behind a position in the DNA molecule without a specific base.
Therefore, "apurinic DNA" refers to DNA that lacks a purine base at a specific site.
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
