Oligosaccharides are carbohydrates yielding two to ten monosaccharide units upon hydrolysis. Disaccharides, a common type, produce two monosaccharide units, which may be the same or different. For instance, sucrose hydrolysis yields glucose and fructose, while maltose provides two glucose molecules.
How are oligosaccharides classified, and what distinguishes disaccharides from other types?
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Oligosaccharides are carbohydrates composed of a small number of monosaccharide units, typically 3 to 10. They are classified based on the specific number of monosaccharides present. Disaccharides, a subset of oligosaccharides, consist of two linked monosaccharide units. What distinguishes disaccharides from other oligosaccharides is their specific composition of two sugar molecules joined by a glycosidic bond. Common disaccharides include sucrose (glucose + fructose), lactose (glucose + galactose), and maltose (glucose + glucose). The formation of disaccharides occurs through dehydration synthesis, involving the removal of a water molecule between the hydroxyl groups of two monosaccharides.