galactose

Galactose -- C₆H₁₂OH

An optical isomer of the famous Glucose which is different from it at the fourth Carbon (Its OH group is perpendicular* to the ring instead of being equatorial* as in the glucose).

Galactose's Fischer* drawings:

  L-Gal:       D-Gal:
   C1-HO        C1-HO
OH-C2-H       H-C2-OH
 H-C3-OH     OH-C3-H
 H-C4-OH     OH-C4-H
OH-C5-H       H-C5-OH
   C6-H2OH      C6-H2OH

Galactose's Mills diagram: (Look at ma', I'm an ASCII artist!)

             /
          C /
            \
             \
              ------O
             /       \
            /         \
    -------<           >-------
            \         /
             \       /
              -------
             /       \
            /
           /           \
          /             
         /               \

See Also: Glucose, Manose (sp?).

* I apologize in advance for any erroneous names, as I've studied this subject in Hebrew and I freely translate it based on my understanding. Corrections will be gladly accepted.

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A six-carbon sugar that is an optical isomer of glucose, but is less sweet and less soluble in water. Galactose is found in milk, sugar beets, seaweed, and in nerve and brain tissue.

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From the BioTech Dictionary at http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/. For further information see the BioTech homenode.

Ga*lac"tose (?), n. Chem.

A white, crystalline sugar, C6H12O6, isomeric with dextrose, obtained by the decomposition of milk sugar, and also from certain gums. When oxidized it forms mucic acid. Called also lactose (though it is not lactose proper).

<-- lactose is a dimeric form of galactose, converted to galactose by acid or enzymatic activity (beta-galactosidase) -->

 

© Webster 1913.