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Thymidine is a pyrimidine nucleoside that is composed of the pyrimidine base thymine attached to the sugar deoxyribose. As a constituent of DNA, thymidine pairs with adenine in the DNA double helix. In cell biology it is used to synchronize the cells in G₁/early S phase.

White crystalline powder

Thymidine can exist in vitro conditions as a solid (as white crystals or as white crystalline powder). Under standard temperature and pressure, the stability of this compound is very high. As a part of DNA structure, thymidine occurs in living organisms (also in DNA viruses). Therefore, it is a non-toxic compound. In RNA, there is uridine instead of thymidine. Uridine is formed from the combination of uracil with ribose sugar. The key difference between thymine and thymidine is that thymine is a nucleobase, whereas thymidine is a nucleoside.

Constituent of deoxyribonucleic acid

Used for e.g. syntheses of zidovudine. Attributes For further information please contact us Contact

Thymidine is useful in cell synchronization during S-phase. In the salvage pathway of pyrimidines, pyrimidine phosphorylase reversibly converts thymine to thymidine.

High concentrations of thymidine interrupt the deoxynucleotide metabolism pathway through competitive inhibition, thus blocking DNA replication. A single treatment with thymidine arrests cells throughout S phase, so a double treatment acts to induce a more uniform block in early S phase.

Crystallise -thymidine from ethyl acetate, MeOH/Et2O (m 188o) or H2O (as 2H2O m 189o). It is soluble in water and hot organic solvents. The picrate has m 230o (from EtOH).