Adenine. Molecular graphic of adenine, a nucleic acid found in DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid). Adenine is a type of nitrogen- containing base called a purine. Its atoms are color coded: carbon (green), nitrogen (blue) and hydrogen (white). Adenine is one of the four bases in RNA and DNA. The order of these bases is known as the genetic code. Each organism has a unique code that controls how they develop and function.