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Galactose (/ ɡ ə ˈ l æ k t oʊ s /, galacto-+ -ose, "milk sugar"), sometimes abbreviated Gal, is a monosaccharide sugar that is about as sweet as glucose, and about 65% as sweet as sucrose. [2] It is an aldohexose and a C-4 epimer of glucose. [3] A galactose molecule linked with a glucose molecule forms a lactose molecule.
Intermediates and enzymes in the Leloir pathway of galactose metabolism [5] In the first step, galactose mutarotase facilitates the conversion of β-D-galactose to α-D-galactose since this is the active form in the pathway. Next, α-D-galactose is phosphorylated by galactokinase to galactose 1-phosphate.
In humans it is the terminal carbohydrate forming the antigen of blood group A. [1]. It is typically the first monosaccharide that connects serine or threonine in particular forms of protein O-glycosylation.
After separation from glucose, galactose travels to the liver for conversion to glucose. [12] Galactokinase uses one molecule of ATP to phosphorylate galactose. [2] The phosphorylated galactose is then converted to glucose-1-phosphate, and then eventually glucose-6-phosphate, which can be broken down in glycolysis. [2]
Galactose uses the same transport system. Fructose, on the other hand, crosses the apical membrane of the enterocyte, using GLUT5. It is thought to cross into the blood capillary using one of the other GLUT transporters. Peptide and amino acid uptake. Peptidases in the glycocalyx cleave proteins to amino acids or small peptides.
Many adult humans lack the lactase enzyme, which has the same function as β-galactosidase, so they are not able to properly digest dairy products. β-Galactose is used in such dairy products as yogurt, sour cream, and some cheeses which are treated with the enzyme to break down any lactose before human consumption. In recent years, β ...
Lactose is a disaccharide sugar composed of galactose and glucose that is found in milk. Lactose can not be absorbed by the intestine and needs to be split in the small intestine into galactose and glucose by the enzyme called lactase; unabsorbed lactose can cause abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, gas, and nausea. [citation needed]
Galactose mutarotase (aldose 1-epimerase) (gene name GALM) is a human enzyme that reversibly converts α-aldose to the β-anomer. [5] This enzyme catalyzes the first step of the Leloir pathway, which is involved in galactose metabolism. [6] It belongs to family of aldose epimerases.