Used in biochemical research as a nucleoside analog to study enzyme mechanisms, particularly in RNA and DNA metabolism. Acts as an inhibitor of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase, making it valuable in antiviral and epigenetic studies. Also employed in the development of modified nucleic acids for therapeutic applications such as antisense oligonucleotides and RNA interference. Its structural modification enhances stability against enzymatic degradation, useful in designing robust molecular probes and drug candidates.