DESOXYRIBOSE Meaning and
Definition
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Desoxyribose is a five-carbon sugar molecule, a type of pentose, that is a fundamental component of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). It is often referred to as deoxyribose, and its structure differs from ribose by the absence of one oxygen atom.
Desoxyribose is crucial for the overall structure and function of DNA, the molecule responsible for carrying and storing genetic information in all living organisms. It serves as a building block for the backbone or sugar-phosphate chain of the DNA molecule. The sugar molecules, including desoxyribose, are linked together by phosphodiester bonds, forming a spiral helical structure known as the DNA double helix.
The carbon atoms in desoxyribose are labeled from 1' to 5', with the numbering system indicating the position of the atoms within the sugar molecule. The 5' carbon atom is attached to a phosphate group, which connects it to the next desoxyribose sugar in the DNA chain.
Desoxyribose provides stability to DNA due to its ability to form a stable conformation with the nucleotide bases adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T). These bases, along with desoxyribose and phosphate groups, form the individual units of DNA called nucleotides.
In summary, desoxyribose is a crucial component of DNA, providing the structural framework necessary for genetic information storage and transmission. Its unique chemical structure allows for the stability and functionality of DNA molecules, essential for the inheritance and functioning of genetic traits in organisms.
Common Misspellings for DESOXYRIBOSE
- sesoxyribose
- xesoxyribose
- cesoxyribose
- fesoxyribose
- resoxyribose
- eesoxyribose
- dwsoxyribose
- dssoxyribose
- ddsoxyribose
- drsoxyribose
- d4soxyribose
- d3soxyribose
- deaoxyribose
- dezoxyribose
- dexoxyribose
- dedoxyribose
- deeoxyribose
- dewoxyribose
- desixyribose
- deskxyribose
Etymology of DESOXYRIBOSE
The word "desoxyribose" is derived from the combination of two components: "desoxy" and "ribose".
The term "ribose" originates from the Latin word "arabinus" which means "gum arabic". It was named so because ribose was first isolated by German chemist Emil Fischer in 1891 from gum arabic (a natural gum derived from various species of acacia trees). The "ribose" part of the word refers to the sugar molecule that makes up a significant part of the backbone of DNA.
The prefix "desoxy" comes from the Greek word "deso", which means "removal" or "absence". In the context of "desoxyribose", the "desoxy" component indicates the absence of an oxygen atom at one position compared to "ribose".
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