Used in biochemical research as an intermediate in the study of ADP-ribosylation processes, a key post-translational modification involved in DNA repair, gene expression, and cell signaling. It serves as a precursor or analog in enzymatic assays to investigate the activity of enzymes such as sirtuins and glycosyltransferases. Due to its acetylated form, it can act as a protected derivative in synthetic pathways for nucleotide analogs. Also employed in studies exploring metabolic pathways related to NAD+ metabolism and aging.