Triose

• Triose
• 

  D-glyceraldehyde

• 

  1,3-Dihydroxypropan-2-one

Triose

A triose is a type of monosaccharide that contains three carbon atoms. The general chemical formula for a triose is C_H_O_. Trioses are the simplest form of carbohydrates and play a crucial role in metabolism.

Types of Trioses

There are two main types of trioses, which are classified based on the functional group present:

• Aldotriose: This type of triose contains an aldehyde group. The most common aldotriose is glyceraldehyde.
• Ketotriose: This type of triose contains a ketone group. The most common ketotriose is dihydroxyacetone.

Structure

Trioses have a simple structure with three carbon atoms. In the case of glyceraldehyde, the structure is:

• CH_OH-CHOH-CHO

For dihydroxyacetone, the structure is:

• CH_OH-CO-CH_OH

Role in Metabolism

Trioses are important intermediates in several metabolic pathways. They are involved in:

• Glycolysis: During glycolysis, glucose is broken down into two molecules of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, a triose phosphate.
• Calvin Cycle: In the Calvin cycle, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate is one of the products of the light-independent reactions in photosynthesis.

Related Pages

• Monosaccharide
• Glycolysis
• Calvin Cycle
• Carbohydrate