oligosaccharide
Noun: A carbohydrate molecule composed of a small number (typically three to ten) of monosaccharide units linked together by glycosidic bonds. Oligosaccharides are intermediate in complexity between simple sugars (monosaccharides and disaccharides) and large polymers (polysaccharides).
Oligosaccharides are naturally occurring compounds found in many plants and some animal products. They are often discussed in the contexts of biochemistry, nutrition, and food science. - As a subject or object in a sentence. - Often modified by adjectives specifying the type or source (e.g., fructo-oligosaccharide, milk oligosaccharide).
- Noun:
- Raffinose is an oligosaccharide found in beans and cabbage.
- Human milk contains unique oligosaccharides that support infant health.
- The biochemist studied the structure of the oligosaccharide.
- "Oligosaccharide chain": Refers to a linear or branched sequence of oligosaccharide units, often attached to proteins or lipids (forming glycoproteins or glycolipids).
- The glycoprotein's function depends on its oligosaccharide chain.
- In scientific writing, the term is often used with prefixes to denote specific types, such as or .
- Oligosaccharidase (n): An enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of oligosaccharides.
- Oligosaccharidic (adj): Relating to or of the nature of an oligosaccharide.
- The oligosaccharidic composition was analyzed.
- Low-molecular-weight carbohydrate: A descriptive synonym emphasizing size.
- Sugar oligomer: A less common synonym highlighting its polymeric nature from sugar units.
(Note: These are compound terms where "oligosaccharide" is a component, not the target word itself.) - Oligosaccharide transferase: An enzyme that transfers an oligosaccharide. - Oligosaccharide processing: The enzymatic modification of oligosaccharide chains in the cell.
The core meaning is defined by the number of monosaccharide units. A disaccharide (two units) is typically not called an oligosaccharide, though it is sometimes included in broader definitions. The primary context is scientific.
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any of the carbohydrates that yield only a few monosaccharide molecules on complete hydrolysis
