adenine

American  

[ad-n-in, -een, -ahyn] / ˈæd n ɪn, -ˌin, -ˌaɪn /

noun

1. Biochemistry. a purine base, C 5 H 5 N 5 , one of the fundamental components of nucleic acids, as DNA, in which it forms a base pair with thymine, and RNA, in which it pairs with uracil. A

---

adenine British  

/ -ˌnaɪn, -ˌniːn, ˈædənɪn /

noun

1. a purine base present in tissues of all living organisms as a constituent of the nucleic acids DNA and RNA and of certain coenzymes; 6-aminopurine. Formula: C 5 H 5 N 5 ; melting pt: 360–365°C

---

adenine Scientific  

/ ăd′n-ēn′ /

1. A purine base that is a component of DNA and RNA, forming a base pair with thymine in DNA and with uracil in RNA. Adenine is also part of other biologically important compounds, such as ATP, NAD, and vitamin B-12, and occurs in tea. Chemical formula: C ₅ H ₅ N ₅ .

---

Etymology

Origin of adenine

1880–85; < German Adenin; aden-, -ine ²

Compare meaning

How does adenine compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• adenine vs. adenosine

Example Sentences

Importantly they also discovered all five nitrogenous bases — adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, and uracil — that are necessary to build DNA and RNA.

From Salon • Jan. 30, 2025

These include 14 of the 20 amino acids that life on Earth uses to build proteins and all four of the ring-shaped molecules that make up DNA - adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine.

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2025

NMNAT2 is a vital provider of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide for the brain.

From Science Daily • Jan. 31, 2024

Huntington’s is a hereditary neurodegenerative disease caused by excess repetitions of three building blocks of DNA — cytosine, adenine, and guanine — on a gene called huntingtin.

From New York Times • May 23, 2023

Suddenly I realized the potentially profound implications of a DNA structure in which the adenine residue formed hydrogen bonds similar to those found in crystals of pure adenine.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson