5-Hydroxymethyluracil is a product of oxidative damage to DNA, predominantly by hydroxyl radical via the Fenton reaction. It can be used as a potential epigenetic mark enhancing or inhibiting transcription with bacterial RNA polymerase.
5-Hydroxymethyluracil (cas# 4433-40-3) is a compound useful in organic synthesis.
ChEBI: 5-hydroxymethyluracil is a primary alcohol that is uracil bearing a hydroxymethyl substituent at the 5-position. It has a role as a human metabolite. It is a primary alcohol and a pyrimidone. It derives from a uracil.
5-Hydroxymethyluracil is produced by the enzyme thymine dioxygenase (EC 1.14.11.6) which catalyzes the chemical reaction thymine + 2-oxoglutarate + O2 <-> 5-hydroxymethyluracil + succinate + CO2.
The 3 substrates of this enzyme are thymine, 2-oxoglutarate, and O2, whereas its 3 products are 5-hydroxymethyluracil, succinate, and CO2. The 5hmU base can also be generated by oxidation/hydroxylation of thymine by the Ten-Eleven-Translocation (TET) proteins or result from deamination of 5hmC. DNA containing 5hmU has been reported to be more flexible and hydrophilic.
Biotechnological Production
5-Hydroxymethyluracil (5hmU) is a thymine base modification found in the genomic DNA of diverse organisms ranging from bacteriophages to mammals.
