Uric acid is a product of the metabolism of which group of nucleotides?
Uric acid is the end-product of purine degradation. Humans lack the enzyme uricase, which in other species oxidizes uric acid (low solubility) to the highly soluble compound allantoin. The lack of this enzyme subjects humans to the potential risk of tissue deposition of MSU crystals. Although humans possess the uricase gene, it is inactive. It is postulated that humans have acquired the propensity to become hyperuricemic because uric acid may exert potent antioxidant properties.
