2-Deoxy-D-galactose is used as an inhibitor of fucosylation, which is a process of adding hexose deoxy sugar units to a molecule. It is used for studying galactose uptake into Escherichia coli and also for competitive elution of Anadarin P lectin (a galactosyl-binding lectin from blood clam).
ChEBI: 2-deoxy-D-galactose is a deoxygalactose. It is functionally related to an aldehydo-D-galactose and a D-galactose.
2-Deoxy-D-galactose is a glucose analog that shows a wide range of biological activities such as inhibition of glycolysis and thereby tumor growth, interference with the biosynthetic processing of glycoproteins, antiviral activity, and hepatotoxicity. It is being extensively studied as trapping agents for phosphate and uridylate in mammalian cells due to its ability to interfere in the phosphate and nucleotide metabolism.
Crystallise 2-deoxy-D-galactose from MeOH or diethyl ether. The aniline derivative has m 142-143o, [ ] D 16.5 -149o (c 0.8, pyridine). [Overend et al. J Chem Soc 671, 675 1950 and 992 1951.] A 30% equilibrium solution at 31o in D2O contains 40% -pyranose, 44% pyranose, 8% -furanose and 8% -furanose forms as estimated by 1HNMR spectroscopy [Angyal & Pickles Aust J Chem 25 1711 1972]. [Beilstein 1 IV 4283.]
