Adenosine triphosphate central role

Phosphate also plays a central role in the transmission and control of chemical energy within the cells primarily via the hydrolysis of the terminal phosphate ester bond of the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecule (Fig. 14-3b). In addition, phosphate is a necessary constituent of phospholipids, which are important components in cell membranes, and as mentioned before, of apatite, which forms structural body parts such as teeth and bones. It is not surprising, therefore, that the cycling of P is closely linked with biological processes. This connection is, in fact, inseparable as organisms cannot exist without P, and their existence controls, to a large extent, the natural distribution of P. 

Nucleotides play central roles in metabolism. They serve as sources of chemical energy (ATP and guanosine triphosphate (GTP)), participate in cellular signalling (cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)) and are incorporated into important cofactors of enzymatic reactions. Nucleotides are molecules that, when joined together, make up the structural units of RNA and DNA (Scheme 3). 

Phosphate-related anion species, including phosphate (Pi), pyrophosphate (PPi), and adenosine triphosphate (ATP), play crucial roles in energy transduction and metabolic processes. ATP hydrolysis is central to many biological reactions. In addition, phosphate anion is one of the basic building components of nucleic acids (DNA aud RNA). As a result, the sensing and discrimination of these phosphate-related anion species have captured the attention of many research groups. 

This substance, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) (see Fig. 4.6), is a universal constituent in living cells and plays a central role in the conservation of energy and in the transfer of energy from catabolic to anabolic (synthetic) reactions. 

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