D2deoksiribofuranoz

2'-deoxyribofuranose is a deoxysugar, a derivative of the common sugar ribofuranose. In 2'-deoxyribofuranose, the hydroxyl group at the 2' carbon position of ribose is replaced by a hydrogen atom. This seemingly small change is of profound biological importance, as 2'-deoxyribofuranose is the fundamental sugar component of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). DNA, the molecule that carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of all known organisms, is a polymer of nucleotides. Each deoxyribonucleotide consists of three parts: a phosphate group, a nitrogenous base (adenine, guanine, cytosine, or thymine), and the sugar 2'-deoxyribofuranose. The sugar molecule links the phosphate group to the nitrogenous base and also forms the backbone of the DNA strand through phosphodiester bonds between adjacent deoxyribonucleotides. The absence of the 2'-hydroxyl group in 2'-deoxyribofuranose makes DNA more stable than RNA (ribonucleic acid), which contains ribose with a 2'-hydroxyl group. This increased stability is crucial for DNA's role as the long-term storage of genetic information. The furanose ring structure, a five-membered ring, is characteristic of both ribose and 2'-deoxyribofuranose. The numbering of the carbon atoms in the sugar molecule is crucial for understanding the structure and bonding within DNA.