xylose

monosaccharide

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 15, 2026

Quick Summary

Xylose is a crystalline sugar with the chemical formula C₅H₁₀O₅. It is classified as a monosaccharide, meaning it is a basic building block of carbohydrates. Specifically, xylose is a pentose, a type of monosaccharide containing five carbon atoms.12

Xylose is not fermentable by common yeasts and is found naturally in plants, often as part of a polysaccharide called xylan. It can be obtained by breaking down xylan through hydrolysis, and it is commonly derived from sources like corncobs, cottonseed hulls, and straw. Other naturally occurring monosaccharides include glucose, fructose, and galactose.134

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

carbohydrate
Configuration
Thus, although d-xylose and d-lyxose both have five carbon atoms and are of the d-configuration, the spatial arrangement of the asymmetrical centres (at carbon atoms 2, 3, and 4) is such that they are not mirror images.
Read More
Thus, although d-xylose and d-lyxose both have five carbon atoms and are of the d-configuration, the spatial arrangement of the asymmetrical centres (at carbon atoms 2, 3, and 4) is such that they are not mirror images.
Read More