Monosaccharide

Monosaccharides , also called simple sugars, are the simplest forms of <a href="/facts/Sugar/jb5KXRHT">sugar</a> and the most basic units (<a href="/facts/Monomer/Gw3CltMb">monomers</a>) from which all <a href="/facts/Carbohydrate/Geuuzxsf">carbohydrates</a> are built. Chemically, monosaccharides are polyhydroxy <a href="/facts/Aldehyde/xSIRkW03">aldehydes</a> with the formula H-[CHOH]n-CHO or polyhydroxy <a href="/facts/Ketone/BqQXpLo4">ketones</a> with the formula H-[CHOH]m-CO-[CHOH]n-H with three or more carbon atoms.
They are usually <a href="/facts/Transparency_and_translucency/PRryNNW6">colorless</a>, <a href="/facts/Water/0lkXnJPK">water</a>-<a href="/facts/Soluble/kLE9h3Jb">soluble</a>, and <a href="/facts/Crystal/e2R2mk3E">crystalline</a> organic solids. Contrary to their name (sugars), only some monosaccharides have a <a href="/facts/Sweetness/pWt6LlXy">sweet taste</a>. Most monosaccharides have the formula (CH2O)x (though not all molecules with this formula are monosaccharides).
Examples of monosaccharides include <a href="/facts/Glucose/oUSkoLCD">glucose</a> (dextrose), <a href="/facts/Fructose/pEqWJC2N">fructose</a> (levulose), and <a href="/facts/Galactose/sh2hEFpC">galactose</a>. Monosaccharides are the building blocks of <a href="/facts/Disaccharide/9dnUQggw">disaccharides</a> (such as <a href="/facts/Sucrose/7y1ke94L">sucrose</a>, <a href="/facts/Lactose/lBa5ozYk">lactose</a> and <a href="/facts/Maltose/v43CVtaU">maltose</a>) and <a href="/facts/Polysaccharide/lqXq2cJU">polysaccharides</a> (such as <a href="/facts/Cellulose/wYPafTU0">cellulose</a> and <a href="/facts/Starch/gHAqGfJb">starch</a>). The <a href="/facts/White_sugar/9qpD1vl5">table sugar</a> used in everyday vernacular is itself a disaccharide sucrose comprising one molecule of each of the two monosaccharides D-glucose and D-fructose.
Each <a href="/facts/Carbon/ukrgQexo">carbon</a> atom that supports a <a href="/facts/Hydroxyl/1Hs2QAEv">hydroxyl</a> group is <a href="/facts/Chirality_(chemistry)/p5a9pftB">chiral</a>, except those at the end of the chain. This gives rise to a number of <a href="/facts/Isomer/PXlvDVdg">isomeric</a> forms, all with the same chemical formula. For instance, galactose and glucose are both <a href="/facts/Aldohexose/ooxIWuDL">aldohexoses</a>, but have different physical structures and chemical properties.
The monosaccharide glucose plays a pivotal role in <a href="/facts/Metabolism/WxDrm8k5">metabolism</a>, where the chemical energy is extracted through <a href="/facts/Glycolysis/a5ApxLoG">glycolysis</a> and the <a href="/facts/Citric_acid_cycle/EGJL9NXP">citric acid cycle</a> to provide energy to living organisms. Maltose is the <a href="/facts/Condensation_reaction/wMG0F6La">dehydration condensate</a> of two glucose molecules.

Monosaccharide open-in-new

Monosaccharide