IMP

IMP (CAS No.: 131-99-7) is a purine ribonucleoside 5′-monophosphate featuring hypoxanthine as its nucleobase and serves as a central intermediate in purine metabolism across diverse biological systems, including mammalian and microbial cells. As an endogenous nucleotide formed via the deamination of adenosine monophosphate, IMP occupies a pivotal position in de novo purine biosynthesis and interconversion pathways, acting as a branch point precursor for adenine- and guanine-containing nucleotides. It is widely distributed in muscle and other tissues and is routinely employed in biochemical and enzymological studies as a substrate for inosine-5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase, enabling investigation of enzyme distribution, substrate specificity, and catalytic kinetics within nucleotide metabolism networks. In research settings, IMP is commonly used as a reference standard for quantitative analysis and quality control, as well as a tool compound in studies of metabolic flux, nucleotide pool regulation, and enzyme inhibition, particularly in assays targeting purine biosynthetic enzymes where activity is typically evaluated across nanomolar to micromolar concentration ranges depending on assay design. Additionally, it is applied in cell-based and in vitro systems to probe metabolic pathways, enzymatic conversions, and regulatory mechanisms governing nucleotide homeostasis, with experimental concentrations selected according to specific model systems and analytical objectives.