Biosynthesis of Nucleotides

N
Purine
Adenine
Guanine

N
H

N
Pyrimidine
Cytosine
Thymine
Uracil

NH2
N

Adenine

N
H

HN

H2N

Guanine

N
H

NH2

O
CH3

HN

N
H

Cytosine

N
H
Thymine

HN

N
H
Uracil

Purine Nucleotides are derived from

Ribose,
Glycine,

HN

Glutamine,
Aspartic Acid and
Formate.

N
Inosinic Acid is key
intermediate

PO

OH

OH

CO2

Aspartate

Glycine

HN

N
C

C
N

PO

Formate
Glutamine

Ribose
OH

OH

PO

NH2

H2N
CO2H

OPP
O
OH

OH
(Glutamine to
Glutamic Acid)

PO

NH2

OH

OH

Reacts with Glycine

O
PO

NH2

NH2
HO

OH

OH

PO

HN
O

OH

OH

NH2

Reacts with Formic Acid

H 2N
OH

HN

PO

OH

OH

NH

Gln
HN

PO

OH

OH

Glu

NH

HN

PO

OH

OH

NH

H
N
HO

- H2O
N

PO

OH

OH

NH

PO

OH

OH

NH

CO2
N

PO

OH

OH

NH2

CO2H

H2N
CO2H

PO

NH2
CO2H

Aspartic Acid

OH

OH

O
N

NH
CO2H

PO

NH2

H
CO2H

OH

OH

O
N

PO

OH

OH

NH2

NH2

O
N

NH2
O

PO

HCO2H

OH

OH

N
H

O
N

NH2
O

PO

HCO2H

OH

OH

N
H

O
N
NH

PO

OH

OH

N
H

OH

O
N
NH

PO

Inosinic
Acid
OH

OH

Reacts with Aspartic Acid to give Adenylic Acid

NH2
N
N

PO

Inosinic
Acid

OH

OH

Reacts (after Oxidation) with Glutamine to give Guanylic Acid

O
N
NH

PO

Inosinic
Acid

OH

OH

NH2

Caffeine is also obtained from Inosinic Acid

Ad
H3C

PO

OH OH

NH
N

SAM
NH2

Oxidation

H 3C

PO

OH OH

NH
N
H

H3C

PO

NH
N
H
OH2

OH OH

H3C

H3C

N
H

NH

SAM

NH
O

N
CH3

Theobromine

H 3C

H3C
NH

N
CH3

SAM

N
N

CH3

CH3
Caffeine
(1,3,7-trimethyl Xanthine)

Orotic Acid is the precursor of Pyrimidine Nucleotides

O
NH
HO2C

N
H

Aspartic
Acid

NH3
NH
CO2

HO2C

N
H

CO2, NH3 and phosphate combine to give Carbamyl Phosphate

O
CO2

NH3

Phosphate

H2N

OP

Reacts with Aspartic Acid

NH2

HO2C
CO2H

H2N

O
HN
HO2C

NH2
CO2H

OP

Redrawn:

O
HO

- H2O

H2N
O

HN

N
H

CO2H

N
H

CO2H

O
HN
NAD

N
H

CO2H

Orotic Acid

O
HN
O
PO

O
OPP
OH OH

N
H

CO2H

O
HN
O
PO

N
O

OH OH

CO2H

- CO2

O
HN
O
PO

N
O
Uridylic Acid

OH OH

Uridylic Acid is converted to Cytidylic Acid

HN
O
PO

HN
N

OH OH

2 ATP
PPPO

N
O

OH OH

NH2
N
NH3

O
PPPO

N
O

OH OH

NH2
N
-2P

O
PO

N
O

Cytidylic Acid

OH OH