Synthesis of the purine ring is a central metabolic function of all cells. The products, AMP and GMP, provide purine bases for DNA and RNA, as well as for a number of essential coenzymes (NAD, NADP, FAD, and coenzyme A) and signaling molecules (e.g. cAMP; Fig. 1). ATP serves as the energy source for many chemical reactions. In addition, in plants, the nucleotides are the precursors for purine a...