View source for Uracil

[[Image:0192801015 uracil 1.jpg|thumb]] 

Uracil (U) is a [[Pyrimidine|pyrimidine]] base. It is one of the four bases found in [[RNA|RNA]] where it replaces [[Thymine|Thymine]] (T) which is found in [[DNA|DNA]]. The structure of uracil differs from thymine in that thymine contains an extra [[Methyl group|methyl group]] on the 5-C [[Carbon|carbon]] at[[Carbon]]om whereas [[DsRNA|uracil just]] has a [[Hydrogen|hydrogen]] atom. It has a chemical formula of C<sub>4</sub>H<sub>4</sub>N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>. However, the base-pairing is unaffected by the lack of this [[Methyl group|methyl group]], therefore the U-A base pairs are very similar to T-A base pairs<ref>Alberts, B et al. (2008). Molecular Biology of the Cell. 5th ed. US: Garland Science. page 303</ref>. e.g. there are 2 [[Hydrogen bonds|hydrogen bonds]] formed between the bases<ref>Berg, J.M. Tymoczko, J.L. Stryer, L. (2007). Biochemistry. 6th ed. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company. p109.</ref>. 

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