Tetrose
Tetrose
Tetrose (/ˈtɛtrəʊs/) is a type of monosaccharide with four carbon atoms. They can be either in the D- or L- form, depending on the chirality of the highest numbered chiral carbon atom.
Etymology
The term "tetrose" is derived from the Greek word "tetra", meaning four, and the suffix "-ose" which is used in biochemistry to form the names of sugars.
Types of Tetroses
There are two types of tetrose sugars, namely:
- Erythrose: An aldose sugar, it is the only chiral tetrose.
- Threose: A stereoisomer of erythrose, it is also an aldose sugar.
Biological Importance
Tetroses are not very common in nature. However, erythrose is an intermediate in the pentose phosphate pathway and the Calvin cycle, which are important for energy production and photosynthesis, respectively.
Related Terms
- Monosaccharide: The simplest form of sugar and the most basic units of carbohydrates.
- Aldose: A monosaccharide with an aldehyde group.
- Pentose phosphate pathway: A metabolic pathway parallel to glycolysis which generates NADPH and pentoses.
- Calvin cycle: A series of biochemical reactions that take place in the stroma of chloroplast in photosynthetic organisms.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Tetrose
- Wikipedia's article - Tetrose
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