Final answer:
5-Fluorouracil can be incorporated into DNA, acting as an antimetabolite and leading to the disruption of cellular proliferation and function. Its active metabolite inhibits DNA synthesis, making 5-FU an effective cancer chemotherapy agent.
Step-by-step explanation:
5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) can indeed be incorporated into DNA and RNA due to its structural similarity to uracil and thymidine. When 5-FU is converted to its active metabolite, fluoro-2-deoxyuridine, it can be misincorporated in place of thymidine in DNA. This incorporation leads to the inhibition of DNA synthesis and cellular proliferation, which is one of the primary reasons 5-FU is used as a chemotherapeutic agent against cancer. Moreover, 5-FU's metabolite incorporation into RNA results in the disruption of RNA processing and function, contributing to its overall antitumor effect. One sibling compound, floxuridine, is specifically incorporated into DNA, which might reduce some adverse effects that 5-FU has when incorporated into RNA.