Cytidine 5''-triphosphate (CTP) is a pyrimidine nucleoside triphosphate that is involved in a variety of biochemical reactions. It is used in the synthesis of RNA by RNA polymerases. In the formation of phosphatidylcholine (PC), CTP reacts with phosphocholine, via CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferases, to produce CDP-choline and diphosphate. This is the rate-limiting step in PC synthesis and, as a pivotal step in cell proliferation, can be important in cancer. CTP also interacts with N-acylneuraminate, in a reaction mediated by N-acylneuraminate cytidylyltransferase, to generate an intermediate that is required for sialylation, namely CMP-N-acylneuraminic acid.
Cytidine 5′-triphosphate (CTP) is essential for the synthesis of DNA and is a mediator of many physiological processes in living systems. It is crucial for the dolichol phosphorylation, cholesterol transport and is involved in the allosteric regulation of aspartate transcarbamylase. It is also used in the treatment of disease related brain.
