Merck, A3256, <SC>L</SC>-(+)-Arabinose

General description
L-(+)-Arabinose, a five-carbon sugar found widely in nature, plays a pivotal role in biochemical research, particularly in microbiology and biomedicine. In microbial culture, it serves as a sole carbon source for various bacteria, as many bacteria contain an inducible arabinose operon, allowing them to utilize L-arabinose as a primary carbon source. This characteristic has made arabinose indispensable in microbiological tests, including the arabinose test, which assesses a microbe′s ability to ferment arabinose.Beyond microbiology, L-arabinose has gained significance in the biomedicine industry due to its potential in drug delivery and metabolic disorder research, particularly in the treatment of conditions like diabetes. This natural sugar shows promise in regulating blood glucose levels and possesses antimicrobial properties, making it a subject of investigation in the fight against bacterial infections. Additionally, L-arabinose is utilized in protein expression studies, serving as a one-way switch for regulating gene expression.
Application
L-Arabinose has been used

to induce and regulate the expression of specific genes or proteins in bacterial strains

L-Arabinose can be used as a substrate to identify, differentiate and characterize pentose sugar isomerase(s) and in the bioproduction of L-ribose.
Biochem/physiol Actions
L-Arabinose is the naturally occurring isomer and is a constituent of plant polysaccharides. Most bacteria contain an inducible arabinose operon that codes for a series of enzymes and transporters that allows L-arabinose to be used as the sole carbon source in microbial culture.
Features and Benefits
Suitable for biochemical and cell culture research
Versatile and adaptable for wide variety of laboratory and research applications

Other Notes
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