Thymine
One of the four nucleotide bases in DNA, abbreviated as 'T'. Thymine pairs with adenine through two hydrogen bonds. In RNA, thymine is replaced by uracil.
Used in the Books
This term appears in 2 chapters:
"How? The mechanism is elegant. DNA forms a double helix - two complementary strands wound together. Adenine (A) always pairs with thymine (T). Guanine (G) always pairs with cytosine (C). To replicate, the helix unwinds, and each strand serves as a template."
"...ymes recognize and remove damaged bases, and other enzymes fill the gap. Nucleotide excision repair (NER): Removes bulky DNA lesions (UV-induced thymine dimers, large chemical adducts). A complex of proteins recognizes distortions in the DNA helix, excises a segment containing the lesion, and synthesi..."
Biological Context
Thymine's methyl group distinguishes it from uracil and provides chemical stability. UV radiation causes adjacent thymines to bond together (thymine dimers), damaging DNA. This is why UV causes skin cancer and why DNA repair of thymine dimers is crucial.
Business Application
Thymine dimers from UV damage represent how external shocks can 'cross-link' elements that should remain separate, creating dysfunction. Organizations need repair mechanisms for such damage—ways to identify and correct inappropriate connections created by stress or crisis.