What is L-Arabinose?

Identification

Product Name:    L-ARABINOSE    

Synonyms:    X-GAL (SOLID POWDER;L-(+)-Arbinose Vetec(TM) reagent grade, >=99%;L-(+)-Arabinose Vetec(TM) reagent grade, >=99%;L-Arabinose Microbiological Grade≥ 99% (HPLC);L-ARA;FEMA 3255;L-ARABINOSE SYRUP 70%;L-ARABINOSE, POWDER    

CAS:    5328-37-0    

MF:    C5H10O5    

MW:    150.13

EINECS:    226-214-6

Structure: 

Properties

L-Arabinose is the naturally occurring isomer and constituent of plant polysaccharides. Most bacteria contain an inducible arabinose operon which codes for a series of enzymes and transporters that allows L-arabinose to be used as the sole carbon source in microbial culture.

Melting point     160-163 °C(lit.)   

Alpha     104 º (C=6, IN WATER 23 ºC)    

Boiling point     415.5±38.0 °C(Predicted)    

Density     1.508±0.06 g/cm3(Predicted)    

FEMA     3255 | L-ARABINOSE    

Refractive index     104 ° (C=10, H2O)    

Storage temp.  room temp

Solubility     H2O: 1 M at 20 °C, clear, colorless

Form     Solid    

Pka    12.46±0.20(Predicted)    

Color     White crystalline    

PH    6.5-7.0 (100g/l, H2O, 20℃)    

Odor    Odorless    

Optical activity    [α]20/D +104.0±2.0°, 24 hr, c = 10% in H2O    

Water Solubility   almost transparency

L-(+)-Arabinose is the naturally occurring isomer and is a constituent of plant polysaccharides.L-Arabinose (L-Ara) is a plant-specific sugar accounting for 5–10 % of cell wall saccharides in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and rice (Oryza sativa). L-Ara occurs in pectic arabinan, rhamnogalacturonan II, arabinoxylan, arabinogalactan-protein (AGP), and extensin in the cell walls, as well as in glycosylated signaling peptides like CLAVATA3 and small glycoconjugates such as quercetin 3-O-arabinoside. This review focuses on recent advances towards understanding the generation of L-Ara and the metabolism of L-Ara-containing molecules in plants.

Substrate for pentose sugar isomerase

Used in bioproduction of L-ribose

L-(+)-Arabinose is used as a substrate to identify, differentiate and characterize pentose sugar isomerase(s). L-Arabinose is used in the bioproduction of L-ribose.

L-Arabinose is the naturally occurring isomer and is a constituent of plant polysaccharides. Most bacteria contain an inducible arabinose operon that codes for a series of enzymes and transporters that allows L-arabinose to be used as the sole carbon source in microbial culture.

Use in biology

L-Arabinose is a plant sugar that is not found in animals, it is one of the components of the cell wall and may be used in the synthesis of natural medicine. L-Arabinose selectively inhibits intestinal sucrase activity in a noncompetitive manner and inhibits the increase of plasma glucose caused by sucrose intake. 

L-arabinose is an important component of the mycobacterial cell wall and is involved in the synthesis of arabinogalactan and lipoarabinomannan, which suggests that it can modulate cell wall permeability and drug resistance. Mycobacterium smegmatis is a useful tool for research into Mycobacteria due to it being a "fast grower" and non-pathogenic (Zhou, 2019).

In synthetic biology, arabinose is often used as a one-way or reversible switch for protein expression under the Pbad promoter in E. coli. This on-switch can be negated by the presence of glucose or reversed off by the addition of glucose in the culture medium which is a form of catabolite repression.

Some organic acid tests check for the presence of arabinose, which may indicate overgrowth of intestinal yeast such as Candida albicans or other yeast/fungus species.

Use in foods

Originally commercialized as a sweetener, arabinose is an inhibitor of sucrase, the enzyme that breaks down sucrose into glucose and fructose in the small intestine.

L-Arabinose is a non-calorie natural compound sweetener. US Medical Association approves the use of L-Arabinose as the nutritional supplements or non-prescription drugs for anti-obesity.  Japan approves L-Arabinose to be the special health-care food additive for adjusting blood sugar. L-arabinose has been used as an intermediate ingredient in the Flavor Industry to produce Flavors, Pharmaceutical Industry for product of L-Ribose, L-Carnitine and Biological Culture medium. 

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