Apiose: one of nature's witty games
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Published on: April 24, 2016
Martina Pičmanová1, Birger Lindberg Møller2
1Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences VILLUM Research Center of Excellence "Plant Plasticity" Center for Synthetic Biology "bioSYNergy", University of Copenhagen, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Abstract:
Apiose is a unique branched-chain pentose found principally in plants. It is a key component of structurally complex cell wall polysaccharides, as well as being present in a large number of naturally occurring secondary metabolites. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge on the metabolism and natural occurrence of apiose, using cyanogenic glycosides and their related compounds as a case study. The biological function of apiose and of apiosylated compounds is discussed.
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