adenine
/ˈæ.dəˌniːn/ · a·de·nine
noun
- A purine nucleobase with formula C5H5N5, found in DNA and RNA; it pairs with thymine in DNA and with uracil in RNA. Adenine pairs with thymine in the DNA double helix, stabilizing the genetic code.
Did you know? Adenine was first isolated from animal pancreas in 1885 by the chemist Albrecht Kossel, marking a key step in the discovery of nucleic acids.