Deoxyuridine-5'-Triphosphate

Deoxyuridine-5'-Triphosphate (dUTP) is a naturally occurring nucleotide, serving as a fundamental building block for DNA synthesis. It acts as a substrate for DNA polymerases, which incorporate it into nucleic acid strands. Additionally, dUTP is a substrate for the enzyme deoxyuridine-5'-triphosphate nucleotidohydrolase (dUTPase), an enzyme crucial in pyrimidine metabolism and identified as a target for cancer therapies, particularly in colorectal cancer. Modified forms of dUTP are widely employed in biophysical and biotechnology applications as nucleotide probes, for instance, in real-time monitoring of polymerase activity or for direct voltammetric detection of DNA. It is also a key component in diagnostic assays such as terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) for detecting apoptosis.

Other names

dUTP