adenine Chem.
(ˈædɪnɪn)
Also -in.
[ad. G. adenin (A. Kossel 1885, in Ber. d. Deut. Chem. Ges. XVIII. 79), f. G. ἀδήν gland + -ine5.]
A crystallizable base, C5H5N5, found in certain glands and animal and vegetable tissues.
| 1885 Jrnl. Chem. Soc. XLVIII. II. 566 The author [sc. A. Kossel] has isolated from the pancreatic gland of the ox, a new base, C5H5N5, to which he gives the name adenine. 1887 A. M. Brown Anim. Alkaloids ii. i. 75 Adenine, C5H3N53H20, is in large transparent crystals, contains three molecules of water of crystallization. 1911 [see adenosine]. 1937 Thorpe's Dict. Appl. Chem. I. 140 Adenine..discovered in the pancreatic gland and spleen of the ox, occurs in all vegetable and animal tissues rich in cells. .. It has been extracted from tea leaves..from beet juice, [etc.]. 1960 New Biol. XXXI. 34 The base in the biologically most important nucleotide is adenine. |