Definition
Adenine (C5H5N5), with molecular weight 135.13, is one of the four nucleic acid bases found in DNA and RNA. Via Watson-Crick base pairing in double-stranded DNA and RNA, adenine forms two hydrogen bonds with thymine (T) and uracil (U), respectively. It is hydrolyzed to give hypoxanthine. The half-life to hydrolysis in aqueous solution at pH 7 is 1 year at 100 °C and 6 × 105 years at 0 °C. It has a UV absorption maximum at 260 nm. It has been found in the Murchison meteorite and can be synthesized in HCN polymerizations, Fischer-Tropsch-type reaction, and electric discharges acting on gas mixtures such as NH3-CH4-C2H6-H2O.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this entry
Cite this entry
Miyakawa, S. (2015). Adenine. In: Gargaud, M., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44185-5_31
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44185-5_31
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-662-44184-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-662-44185-5
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics