Chemical Forums
Specialty Chemistry Forums => Biochemistry and Chemical Biology Forum => Topic started by: Ah Beng on March 28, 2006, 11:27:03 PM
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Dexoyribose (C5 H10 04) and Ribose (C5 H10 O5) are the 'pentose sugars' present in DNA and RNA respectively. By definition, sugars are a subset of carbohydrates. By definition, carbohydrates (= hydrated carbons) always have their ratio of hydrogen to oxygen as 2:1, as in water.
So are Deoxyribose and Ribose, not carbohydrates?
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I would classify ribose and deoxyribose as carbohydrates. Biology is a very inexact science. Although classifying all compounds with the formula Cn(H2O)n as carbohydrates is a good general rule there are many exceptions. Derivatives of compounds which follow this rule that are classified as carbohydrates. For example, N-acetylglucosamine (C8H16O6N2) is an important monosaccharide and it is considered a carbohydrate because it is a derivative of glucose.
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Thanks very much, Yggdrasil! :)