Folic Acid & Purine Synthesis
This podcast discusses the importance of tetrahydrofolate (THF) for making purines, which are essential for building nucleotides and nucleic acids in both humans and microorganisms. The podcast explains that microorganisms produce their own folic acid, which is needed for THF synthesis, and how drugs like sulfonamides block this production. The video also highlights that humans obtain folic acid from their diet and how the drug methotrexate inhibits an enzyme crucial for converting dietary folic acid into THF. Finally, the podcast notes that a lack of folic acid can lead to megaloblastic anemia and will particularly affect other rapidly dividing cells.