5-methyluridine

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Categories: Nucleosides

The chemical compound 5-methyluridine (also called ribosylthymine, thymine riboside, and m5u) is a nucleoside type of nucleic acid. It exists in solid form as small off-white crystals or white crystalline powder, has a molecular weight of 258.23 u, and has a melting point of 185 degrees Celsius. The stability of 5-methyluridine under standard temperature and pressure (STP) is very high. Its ribose is a pentose part of ribonucleic acid (RNA) and alternates with phosphate groups to form the base chain of RNA which binds to nitrogenous compounds. Microorganisms and cells in larger lifeforms use these ribose phosphates to synthesize the amino acid histidine. In its composition, 5-methyluridine is a pentose sugar joined to a pyrimidine base and is similar to cytidine, uridine, 2-deoxyuridine, 2-deoxyguanosine, and 2-deoxy-5-methyluridine. These compounds are important in regulating cellular metabolic processes including the making of regulatory enzymes, antiviral compounds, and the repair of genetic damage.