Comparison between purines and pyramidines

By: Prof. Dr. Fazal Rehman Shamil | Last updated: February 3, 2024

Let me share with you a comparison between purines and pyramidines.

AspectPurinesPyrimidines
StructureDouble-ring structure, containing a six-membered ring and a five-membered ringSingle six-membered ring structure
Names·        Adenine (A)

·        Guanine (G)

·        Cytosine (C)

·        Thymine (T)

·        Uracil (U)

Molecular formulaC5H4N4C4H4N2 Cytosine and Thymine C4H4N2O2 for Uracil
Hydrogen Bonding PatternsAdenine (A) forms two hydrogen bonds with Thymine (T) in DNA or Uracil (U) in RNAGuanine (G) forms three hydrogen bonds with Cytosine (C)
Base Pairing StabilityGenerally more stable due to the additional hydrogen bond in base pairsGenerally less stable due to fewer hydrogen bonds in base pairs
Cofactors in MetabolismInvolved in the structure of coenzymes like NAD and ATPNot typically involved as cofactors in metabolism