Uridine triphosphate

Uridine triphosphate
Identifiers
CAS number 63-39-8 Y
PubChem 1181
MeSH Uridine+triphosphate
ChEMBL CHEMBL605653 N
Properties
Molecular formula C9H15N2O15P3
Molar mass 484.141
 N (verify) (what is: Y/N?)
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

Uridine-5'-triphosphate (UTP) is a pyrimidine nucleoside triphosphate, consisting of the organic base uracil linked to the 1' carbon of the ribose sugar, and esterified with tri-phosphoric acid at the 5' position. Its main role is as substrate for the synthesis of RNA during transcription.

Role in metabolism

UTP also has the role of a source of energy or an activator of substrates in metabolic reactions, like that of ATP, but more specific. When UTP activates a substrate, UDP-substrate is usually formed and inorganic phosphate is released. UDP-glucose enters the synthesis of glycogen. UTP is used in the metabolism of galactose, where the activated form UDP-galactose is converted to UDP-glucose. UDP-glucuronate is used to conjugate bilirubin to a more water-soluble bilirubin diglucuronide.

See also