xylan

American  

[zahy-lan] / ˈzaɪ læn /

noun

Chemistry.

1. the pentosan occurring in woody tissue that hydrolyzes to xylose: used as a source of furfural.

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xylan British  

/ ˈzaɪlæn /

noun

1. biochem a yellow polysaccharide consisting of xylose units: occurs in straw husks and other woody tissue

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Etymology

Origin of xylan

1890–95; < Greek xýl ( on ) wood + -an, variant of -ane

Example Sentences

But, the researchers said, cellulose's crystalline structure paired with other compounds called xylan and lignin -- also present in cell walls -- provide additional challenges to the cellulose breakdown.

From Science Daily • May 7, 2024

Although strategies exist to remove components like xylan and lignin from the cellulose, the researchers said the removal of cellobiose is more difficult.

From Science Daily • May 7, 2024

This technique also helped identify the location and abundance of plant polymers such as cellulose, xylan, and lignin, as well as other molecules in specific regions.

From Science Daily • Feb. 1, 2024

Using homology to Arabidopsis genes and Pfam domain analysis we identified candidate homologues for lignin, cellulose and xylan biosynthetic genes.

From Nature • Jun. 10, 2014

The pentosans, araban and xylan, occur normally in the stems and outer seed coats of many common plants.

From The Chemistry of Plant Life by Thatcher, Roscoe Wilfred