The word oligosaccharide is formed from the Greek words oligo meaning few and saccharin meaning sugar. Oligosaccharide means few sugars. Carbohydrates that break down or break down into a few molecules of monosaccharides (3-10 molecules) are called oligosaccharides. Monosaccharides or monomers are linked by glycosidic bonds to form oligosaccharides. The attachment of the hydroxyl group of one monosaccharide to the hydroxyl group of another monosaccharide is called glycosidic linkage. Dr. Siddiq Publications
Properties of oligosaccharides
(i) Oligosaccharides are simple sugars.
(ii) It can be wet analyzed.
(iii) It is a small molecule.
(iv) Its molecular weight is less than 10,000 daltons.
(v) It has a sweet taste.
(vi) It is granular and soluble in water.
(vii) It is an insoluble sugar.
Some oligosaccharides
(i) Trisaccharides: Carbohydrates which break down or break down into three molecule monosaccharides are called trisaccharides. Such as – raffinose, rabinose, raminose and malizitose. Breaking down raffinose yields glucose, fructose and galactose. Dr. Siddiq Publications
(ii) Tetrasaccharides: Carbohydrates which break down or break down into four molecules of monosaccharides are called tetrasaccharides. Its chemical symbol is C24H42O21. Eg – Stachyose, Skardose etc. When stachyose is broken down, glucose, fructose and two molecules of galactose are obtained. Tetrasaccharides are found in plants of the Leguminosae and Labiatae families. Cucurbita pepo plant contains tetrasaccharides.
(iii) Pentasaccharides: Carbohydrates which break down or break down into monosaccharides of five molecules are called pentasaccharides. For example, verbose. The root of Verbescus thepus plant contains pentasaccharides.
(iv) Hexasaccharide: Carbohydrates composed of six monosaccharide molecules are called hexasaccharides. For example, α-Cyclodextrin.
(v) Heptasaccharides: Carbohydrates which are made up of seven molecules of monosaccharides are called heptasaccharides.
(vi) Octasaccharides: Carbohydrates which are composed of eight molecules of monosaccharides are called octasaccharides.
(vii) Nanasaccharides: Non-carbohydrate molecules composed of monosaccharides are called Nanasaccharides.
(viii) Decasaccharides: Carbohydrates which are composed of ten molecules of monosaccharides are called Decasaccharides.