Oligosaccharide

An Oligosaccharide is a saccharide polymer that contains 3 to 10 monosaccharide units linked together by glycosidic bonds.

Example(s):
- [[Fructooligosaccharides (FOS): These are found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, including onions, garlic, asparagus, and bananas. They are also added to some foods as a prebiotic, which means they are food for beneficial bacteria in the gut.
- [[Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS): These are found in human milk and are also added to some foods as a prebiotic. They have been shown to boost the immune system and improve gut health.
- [[Xylooligosaccharides (XOS): These are found in a variety of plant foods, including wheat, barley, and oats. They have been shown to lower blood sugar levels and improve gut health.
- [[Arabinoxylan oligosaccharides (AXOS): These are found in barley and oats. They have been shown to improve gut health and reduce the risk of colon cancer.
- [[Algae-derived marine oligosaccharides (ADMOs): These are found in seaweed. They have been shown to boost the immune system and improve gut health.
- ...
Counter-Example(s):
- Polysaccharides.
See: Cellulose, Carbohydrate, Polymer, Saccharide, Glycoside.

References

(Wikipedia, 2023) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligosaccharide Retrieved:2023-9-15.
- An oligosaccharide (/ˌɑlɪgoʊˈsækəˌɹaɪd/; from the Greek ὀλίγος olígos, "a few", and σάκχαρ sácchar, "sugar") is a saccharide polymer containing a small number (typically three to ten ) of monosaccharides (simple sugars). Oligosaccharides can have many functions including cell recognition and cell adhesion. They are normally present as glycans: oligosaccharide chains are linked to lipids or to compatible amino acid side chains in proteins, by N- or O-glycosidic bonds. N-Linked oligosaccharides are always pentasaccharides attached to asparagine via a beta linkage to the amine nitrogen of the side chain.^[1] Alternately, O-linked oligosaccharides are generally attached to threonine or serine on the alcohol group of the side chain. Not all natural oligosaccharides occur as components of glycoproteins or glycolipids. Some, such as the raffinose series, occur as storage or transport carbohydrates in plants. Others, such as maltodextrins or cellodextrins, result from the microbial breakdown of larger polysaccharides such as starch or cellulose.