Uric acid further oxidizes uric acid to allantoin. The loss of uricase in higher primates parallels the similar loss of the ability to synthesize ascorbic acid, leading to the suggestion that urate may partially substitute for ascorbate in such species. Both uric acid and ascorbic acid are strong reducing agents (electron donors) and potent antioxidants. In humans, over half the antioxidant capacity of blood plasma comes from hydrogen urate ion. Humans. The normal concentration range of uric acid (or hydrogen urate ion) in human blood is 25 to 80 mg/L for men and 15 to 60 mg/L for women (but see below
Nucleic acid structure determination short lived in solution they need to be generated. This can be done using HO, ascorbic acid, and Fe(II)-EDTA complex which is attached to the backbone through EDTA. The Fe(II) along with ascorbic acid generates hydroxyl radicals which then can react with the nucleic acid molecules. Hydroxyl radical probing is often used in conjunction with chemical probing of nucleic acid molecules that are thought to associate with proteins, this is due to the modification done by hydroxyl radicals. Hydroxyl radicals attack the ribose/deoxyribose ring and this results in breaking of the phosphate backbone, which is independent of secondary structure, as