Glycolaldehyde (HOCH₂-CH=O, IUPAC name 2-hydroxyethanal) is a type of diose (2-carbon monosaccharide). Glycolaldehyde is readily converted to acetyl coenzyme A. It has an aldehyde and a hydroxyl group. However, it is not actually a sugar, because there is only one hydroxyl group. Glycolaldehyde is formed from many sources, including the amino acid glycine and from purone catabolism. It can form by action of ketolase on fructose 1,6-bisphosphate in an alternate glycolysis pathway. This compound is transferred by thiamin pyrophosphate during the pentose phosphate shunt.

Formation

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Glycolaldehyde was identified in many other planets and also at the middle of the Milky Way. Although, as mentioned, it is not actually a sugar, the discovery of glycolaldehyde in space has been reported in many publications as "sugar found in space."

In purine catabolism, xanthine is first converted to urate. This is converted to 5-hydroxyisourate, which decarboxylates to allantoin and allantoic acid. After hydrolyzing one urea, this leaves glycolureate. After hydrolyzing the second urea, glycolaldehyde is left. Two glycolaldehydes condense to form erythrose 4-phosphate, which goes to the pentose phosphate shunt again.

External links

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Aldehydes | Alcohols | Central metabolic products

Glykolaldehyd