Deoxyribose is a sugar molecule that is found in DNA. The word is spelled as "dee-ox-ee-rye-bose" and the IPA phonetic transcription is /diːˌɒksɪˈraɪboʊs/. The first syllable "dee" is pronounced with a long "e" sound, and the second syllable "ox" is pronounced with a short "o" sound. The third syllable "ee" is pronounced with a long "e" sound and the fourth syllable "rye" is pronounced with a long "i" sound. The final syllable "bose" is pronounced with a long "o" sound. The word is derived from the sugar ribose, which has an additional hydroxyl group on the second carbon atom.
Deoxyribose is a five-carbon sugar molecule that is an essential component of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the genetic material present in all living organisms. It is classified as a monosaccharide, or simple sugar, derived from the pentose sugar ribose. The main distinction between deoxyribose and ribose lies in the absence or presence of an additional hydroxyl (-OH) group in deoxyribose.
Deoxyribose plays a critical role in constructing the backbone of DNA, where it forms the structural framework for the genetic code. It is an integral part of the nucleotides that make up DNA molecules. These nucleotides consist of a phosphate group, a nitrogenous base (adenine, guanine, cytosine, or thymine), and a deoxyribose sugar. Adjacent nucleotides within the DNA strand are connected through a sugar-phosphate backbone, which is formed by the bonding of the deoxyribose sugars with the phosphate groups.
Additionally, deoxyribose is involved in storing and transmitting genetic information. The specific arrangement of deoxyribose sugar molecules in DNA provides a template for the synthesis of new DNA strands and enables the faithful replication of genetic material during cell division.
In summary, deoxyribose is a fundamental component of DNA that contributes to its structural stability and serves as a carrier of the genetic information. Its unique chemical composition and arrangement are vital for the proper functioning and replication of DNA in living organisms.
The word "deoxyribose" is derived from "deoxy-", which means without oxygen, and "ribose", which is a sugar. The term was coined by phage researcher Phoebus Levene in 1929 to describe the sugar component found in DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). The prefix "deoxy-" emphasizes that in deoxyribose, one of the oxygen atoms present in the sugar ribose is replaced with a hydrogen atom. This modification distinguishes deoxyribose from ribose, the sugar constituent of RNA (ribonucleic acid), which contains an extra oxygen atom.