Arabinose is an aldopentose — a monosaccharide containing five carbon atoms, and including an aldehyde (CHO) functional group. It has chemical formula C₅H₁₀O₅ and a molecular weight of 150.14 amu (atomic mass units). L-arabinose has the same configuration at its penultimate carbon atom as L-(-)-glyceraldehyde. Natural monosaccharides are often dextrorotory and are chemically reducable to D-(+)-glyceraldehyde. However, L-arabinose is found in nature as a component of biopolymers such as hemicellulose, and can metabolised by microorganisms as a carbon source. As such, L-arabinose is in fact more common than D-arabinose in nature.

See also

• Deoxyribose
• Lyxose
• Ribose
• Ribulose
• Xylose
• Xylulose

External links

Aldoses | Monosaccharides

Arabinose | Arabinosio | ארבינוז | Arabinose | Arabinoza | Arabinose | 树胶醛糖