Base
Bases
Bases are components of nucleotides, which in turn are the building blocks of RNA and DNA. The four bases commonly enountered in RNA are adenine, guanine,cytosine, and uracil. Bases are sometimes callednitrogenous bases to emphasize the presence of nitrogen in this part of the RNA molecule.
A base differs from a nucleotide in its lack of ribose and phosphate.
Base Pairing
- Main Article : Base Pairing
Bases interact with one another by hydrogen bonding and stacking. These interactions help stabilize folded RNA structures. In EteRNA, three types of base pairs are encountered: AU pairs, GC pairs, and GU pairs.
Structure
Bases are flat, with the large top and bottom surfaces interacting only weakly with water. Purine bases have a a two-ring structure, while pyrimidine bases have a smaller single-ring structure.
Abbreviations
Abbreviation | Base |
---|---|
A | Adenine |
G | Guanine |
C | Cytosine |
U | Uracil |
R | Adenine or Guanine (Purine Bases) |
Y | Cytosine or Uracil (Pyrimidine Bases) |
M | Adenine or Cytosine (Amino Bases) |
K | Uracil or Guanine (Keto Bases) |
N | Any base |