Adenine is a nucleobase (a purine derivative) with a variety of roles in biochemistrycellular respiration, in the form of both the energy-rich adenosine triphosphatecofactors nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), and protein synthesis, as a chemical component of DNA and RNA. thymine in DNA or uracil in RNA. including (ATP) and the The shape of adenine is complementary to either