Nucleotide and Porphyrin Metabolism
Nucleic acid metabolism is the process by which nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) are synthesized and degraded. Nucleic acids are the polymers of nucleotides. Nucleotide synthesis is an anabolic mechanism generally involving the chemical reaction of phosphate, pentose sugar, and a nitrogenous base. The porphyrias are a heterogenous group of metabolic disorders characterized by abnormal heme…