Galactose is a monosaccharide sugar that is less sweet than glucose and commonly found in milk. It plays a crucial role in cellular energy production and is an important component of glycolipids and glycoproteins.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
Galactose is metabolized in the liver through the Leloir pathway.
It can be converted into glucose-1-phosphate, which enters the glycolytic pathway.
Galactosemia is a metabolic disorder caused by the inability to properly metabolize galactose.
Enzymes involved in galactose metabolism include galactokinase, galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase, and UDP-galactose-4'-epimerase.
Galactose forms part of lactose when combined with glucose.
Review Questions
Related terms
Leloir Pathway: The series of biochemical reactions that convert galactose into glucose-1-phosphate.
Galactokinase: An enzyme that phosphorylates galactose to form galactose-1-phosphate.