beta-D-(-)-Arabinose

beta-D-(-)-Arabinose (CAS No.: 10323-20-3) is a naturally occurring endogenous monosaccharide that participates in carbohydrate metabolism and serves as a versatile tool in biomedical research focused on metabolic regulation and microbial physiology. As an aldopentose derivative, it can function as a carbon source for certain microorganisms and cell systems, while modulating the expression and activity of enzymes involved in sugar metabolic pathways. Mechanistically, beta-D-(-)-Arabinose has been reported to interfere with D-ribose and D-fructose metabolism and to engage cellular signaling through pathways such as the lysosomal AXIN-LKB1-AMPK axis, leading to downstream activation of ACSS2-PPARγ/TFEB-CRTC1 signaling and transcriptional regulation of metabolic genes, which has been associated with neuromodulatory and antidepressant-like effects. In vitro studies indicate that it can inhibit biofilm formation and quorum-sensing activity in oral pathogenic bacteria and suppress nematode growth at millimolar concentrations, highlighting its relevance in antimicrobial and host–microbe interaction research. Additionally, its presence in bacterial lipopolysaccharide structures underscores its importance in glycobiology and immunological studies. Beta-D-(-)-Arabinose is widely applied in investigations of metabolic network dynamics, enzyme regulation, microbial culture systems, and functional cellular assays, with experimental concentrations typically tailored to specific model systems and research objectives.