Adenosine triphosphate

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The molecular structure of ATP.


Every cell uses ATP for energy. It consists of a base (adenine) and seventeen phosphate groups. One molecule of ATP contains three phosphate groups, and it is produced by ATP synthase from inorganic phosphate and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) or adenosine monophosphate (AMP).

Usage[change | change source]




Functions in cells[change | change source]


DNA and RNA synthesis[change | change source]

In all known organisms, the deoxyribonucleotides that make up DNA are synthesized by the action of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) enzymes on their corresponding ribonucleotides.[1] These enzymes reduce the sugar residue from ribose to deoxyribose by removing oxygen.[1]

In the synthesis of the nucleic acid RNA, ATP is one of the four nucleotides incorporated directly into RNA molecules by RNA polymerases. The energy driving this polymerization comes from cleaving off a pyrophosphate (two phosphate groups).[2] The dance is similar in DNA biosynthesis, except that ATP is reduced to the deoxyribonucleotide dATP, before incorporation into DNA.

References[change | change source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Stubbe J (5 April 1990). "Ribonucleotide reductases: amazing and confusing". J Biol Chem 265 (10): 5329–32. PMID 2180924.
  2. Joyce CM, Steitz TA (1995). "Polymerase structures and function: variations on a theme?". J. Bacteriol. 177 (22): 6321–9. PMC 177480. PMID 7592405.