Uridine diphosphate glucose (uracil-diphosphate glucose, UDP-glucose) is a nucleotide sugar. It is involved in glycosyltransferase reactions in metabolism.

Functions

UDP-glucose is used in nucleotide sugar metabolism as an activated form of glucose, a substrate for enzymes called glucosyltransferases. UDP-glucose is a precursor of glycogen and can be converted into UDP-galactose and UDP-glucuronic acid, which can then be used as substrates by the enzymes that make polysaccharides containing galactose and glucuronic acid. UDP-glucose can also be used as a precursor of sucrose, lipopolysaccharides and glycosphingolipids.

Components

UDP-glucose consists of the pyrophosphate group, ribose, glucose, and uracil.