cytosine

American  

[sahy-tuh-seen, -zeen, -sin] / ˈsaɪ təˌsin, -ˌzin, -sɪn /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. a pyrimidine base, C 4 H 5 N 3 O, that is one of the fundamental components of DNA and RNA, in which it forms a base pair with guanine. C

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cytosine British  

/ ˈsaɪtəsɪn /

noun

1. a white crystalline pyrimidine occurring in nucleic acids; 6-amino-2-hydroxy pyrimidine. Formula: C 4 H 5 N 3 O See also DNA RNA

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cytosine Scientific  

/ sī′tə-sēn′ /

1. A pyrimidine base that is a component of DNA and RNA, forming a base pair with guanine. Chemical formula: C ₄ H ₅ N ₃ O.

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Etymology

Origin of cytosine

< German Cytosin (1894); see cyto-, -ose ², -ine ²

Example Sentences

DNA is a code, a language with only four letters – A, T, C, G, for the bases Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine and Guanine – and he cleverly exploits this with telling linguistic analogies.

From The Guardian • Mar. 27, 2013