What is the Difference Between Adenosine and Adenine?

The main difference between adenosine and adenine lies in their chemical structure and composition.

1. Adenine is a purine nucleobase, one of the five fundamental (or canonical) nucleobases, and serves as the base in adenosine triphosphate (ATP). It is one of the four nucleobases in the nucleic acids of DNA, the other three being guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). Adenine can form a bond with thymine in DNA and with uracil in RNA.
2. Adenosine is a nucleoside, a combination of adenine and ribose or deoxyribose sugar. It is a complex molecule and is functionally more active. Adenosine is present in various forms in all cells of the body. In DNA, adenine binds to thymine, whereas it binds to uracil in RNA.

In summary, adenine is a nucleobase, while adenosine is a nucleoside composed of adenine and a sugar molecule. Adenine is a component of DNA and RNA, while adenosine plays a role in cellular energy transfer and serves as a signaling molecule in the nervous system.

Comparative Table: Adenosine vs Adenine

Here is a table summarizing the differences between adenosine and adenine:

Adenosine is a nucleoside composed of adenine connected to a ribose sugar molecule, while adenine is a nucleobase found in several forms, including DNA and RNA. Adenine is a component of genetic material, while adenosine is not. Adenine forms the base component for encountered nucleic acid, DNA, and RNA, and is denoted by the capital letter "A" in the study of molecular biology. Adenosine is a naturally occurring nucleoside present in various forms in all cells of the body and has several applications in therapeutics.