xylose

[zahy-lohs]

noun

Chemistry.

1. a colorless, crystalline pentose sugar, C 5 H 10 O 5 , derived from xylan, straw, corncobs, etc., by treating with heated dilute sulfuric acid, and dehydrating to furfural if stronger acid is used.

xylose

/ ˈzaɪləʊz, -ləʊs /

noun

1. a white crystalline dextrorotatory sugar found in the form of xylan in wood and straw. It is extracted by hydrolysis with acids and used in dyeing, tanning, and in foods for diabetics. Formula: C 5 H 10 O 5

xylose

1. A white crystalline sugar extracted from wood, straw, and corn. It is used in dyeing and tanning and as a substitute for sucrose in diabetic diets. Chemical formula: C ₅ H ₁₀ O ₅ .

Word History and Origins

Origin of xylose¹

1890–95; < Greek xýl ( on ) wood + -ose ²

Example Sentences

Glucose and xylose are the two most abundant sugars obtained from the breakdown of plant biomass such as agricultural wastes.

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The team started with basically a starvation diet of xylose, a sugar, along with formate and CO2.

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Further experiments revealed that supplying xylose isomerase to flies whose bacteria had been eliminated was necessary and sufficient to modulate fly locomotion.

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One of the biggest challenges in breaking down biomass into useful chemicals suitable for making biofuels is finding ways to selectively depolymerise lignocellulosic biomass into its monomers: glucose, xylose and lignin.

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One chemical that is produced when processing biowastes is a large sugar molecule called xylose.

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Related Words

• carbohydrate