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Deoxyribose

Deoxyribose is a five-carbon sugar that serves as a key component of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). It is a missing-oxygen version of ribose, specifically 2'-deoxyribose, with the chemical formula C5H10O4. The name reflects its derivation from ribose by the removal of an oxygen atom at the 2' position.

In solution, deoxyribose can form cyclic structures known as furanose rings, existing mainly in two anomeric

Deoxyribose is the structural backbone of DNA, linking with nucleobases to form deoxynucleotides. Each sugar is

Compared with ribose, the absence of the 2'-hydroxyl group in deoxyribose reduces chemical reactivity and makes

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forms
called
alpha
and
beta.
In
DNA,
the
beta-anomer
predominates
and
the
sugar
is
typically
in
the
D-configuration.
The
sugar
adopts
different
ring
puckers
depending
on
the
DNA
form,
commonly
described
as
C2'-endo
in
B-form
DNA
and
C3'-endo
in
A-form
DNA,
which
influence
the
overall
geometry
of
the
double
helix.
attached
to
a
nucleobase
(adenine,
guanine,
cytosine,
or
thymine)
to
form
a
deoxynucleoside
(deoxyadenosine,
deoxyguanosine,
deoxycytidine,
or
deoxythymidine).
Phosphate
groups
connect
the
5'
phosphate
of
one
deoxyribose
to
the
3'
hydroxyl
of
the
next,
creating
the
phosphodiester
backbone
that
folds
to
form
the
DNA
double
helix.
DNA
more
chemically
stable,
contributing
to
DNA’s
role
as
a
long-term
storage
of
genetic
information.
Deoxyribose
is
therefore
absent
from
RNA
and
is
distinctive
to
DNA.