Guanine
/ˈɡwɑːniːn/noun
A nitrogenous base found in DNA and RNA and in various living tissues.
Did you know?Guanine was named after guano because it was first isolated from guano, and its crystals can create the shimmering appearance of fish scales and some animal eyes.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian period
Quechua
wanu
“Dung or manure”
16th Century
Spanish
guano
“Accumulated seabird droppings used as fertilizer”
1844
German
Guanin
“A crystalline substance isolated from guano”
19th Century
International scientific English
guanine
“A chemical compound named from guano”
Modern English
English
guanine
“A DNA and RNA base that pairs with cytosine”
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