alphaarabinofuranose

Alpha-arabinofuranose is a monosaccharide, a type of simple sugar, with the molecular formula C5H10O5. It is a component of the pentosan family of carbohydrates, which are polymers of five-carbon sugars. Alpha-arabinofuranose is a furanose, meaning it has a five-membered ring structure with an oxygen atom in the ring, rather than a pyranose, which has a six-membered ring. The "alpha" designation refers to the configuration of the hydroxyl group on the anomeric carbon (the carbon that forms the ring), which is in the alpha position relative to the rest of the molecule. This sugar is found in various biological systems, including plant cell walls and some bacterial polysaccharides. It plays a role in the structural integrity and defense mechanisms of plants. Alpha-arabinofuranose can be converted to other sugars through various biochemical processes, and it is also a precursor to certain antibiotics.