How Do You Spell ARABINOFURANOSYLCYTOSINE TRIPHOSPHATE?

1. Arabinofuranosylcytosine triphosphate (ara-CTP) is a nucleotide that belongs to the family of arabinofuranosyl cytosine analogues. It is primarily used in the field of antiviral chemotherapy, specifically in the treatment of viral infections caused by DNA viruses such as herpes simplex virus and varicella-zoster virus.

   As a nucleoside analogue, ara-CTP is structurally similar to cytosine, a natural component of DNA. However, unlike cytosine, ara-CTP possesses an arabinose sugar component attached to the cytosine base. This structural modification allows ara-CTP to be incorporated into the growing viral DNA chain during replication, interfering with its elongation and ultimately inhibiting viral replication.

   Arabinofuranosylcytosine triphosphate is typically administered in its prodrug form, known as cytarabine or ara-C. Once inside the body, this prodrug is converted into its active form, ara-CTP, through a series of enzymatic reactions. Ara-CTP then competitively inhibits the viral DNA polymerase enzyme, preventing the incorporation of natural cytosine triphosphate into the viral DNA chain.

   By disrupting viral DNA synthesis, arabinofuranosylcytosine triphosphate effectively reduces the viral load in infected cells and inhibits the spread of the virus to nearby cells. This mechanism of action makes ara-CTP an essential component in the treatment of various viral infections, particularly those affecting immunocompromised individuals or those with suppressed immune systems.

Common Misspellings for ARABINOFURANOSYLCYTOSINE TRIPHOSPHATE

The word "Arabinofuranosylcytosine Triphosphate" can be broken down into its root components to understand its etymology:

1. Arabinofuranosyl: This part of the word refers to a sugar molecule called arabinofuranose, which is a pentose sugar similar to ribose or deoxyribose. The term "arabinofuranosyl" is derived from "arabinose" and "furanose". "Arabinose" comes from the Arabic word "arūb (عَرُوب)" meaning "a sweet juice", and "furanose" refers to the five-membered ring structure of the sugar molecule.

2. Cytosine: Cytosine is a nitrogenous base, a component of nucleic acids like DNA and RNA.