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purine

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purine

One entry found.

Main Entry: pu·rine

Pronunciation: \ˈpyu̇r-ˌēn\

Function: noun

Etymology: German Purin, from Latin purus pure + New Latin uricus uric (from English uric) + German -in ²-ine

Date: 1898

1 : a crystalline base C₅H₄N₄ that is the parent of compounds of the uric-acid group
2 : a derivative of purine; especially : a base (as adenine or guanine) that is a constituent of DNA or RNA

Learn more about "purine"

Learn more about "purine" and related topics at Britannica.com

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