Figure 1. The structure of nucleotides depicting how the base and pentose sugar (nucleoside, in yellow blue and green) may be attached to either one, two or three phosphate groups.

IN a recent issue of Nature1, Caspersson and Schultz stress the importance of the occurrence of pentose-nucleotides in the nucleus and especially in the cytoplasm of cells in rapid mitotic division.

A group of Chinese scientists have recently developed a new synthetic consortium for efficient pentose-hexose co-utilization that could improve bio-manufacturing.