One of the four nitrogenous bases in DNA and RNA molecules, represented by the letter C in genetic sequences.
From cyto- (Greek kytos, 'cell') + -ose (suffix for organic compounds). The term was coined by chemists in the late 19th century as they isolated and identified the chemical components of cells.
Cytosine pairs with guanine in the double helix, and it's the only base that can be chemically modified without changing your genetic code—a discovery that revolutionized our understanding of epigenetics!
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