Tetrasaccharide

A tetrasaccharide is a carbohydrate which gives upon hydrolysis four molecules of the same or different monosaccharides. For example, stachyose upon hydrolysis gives one molecule each of glucose and fructose and two molecules of galactose. The general formula of a tetrasaccharide is typically C₂₄H₄₂O₂₁.

Chemical structure of stachyose

Structure and occurrence of tetrasaccharides

Name	chemical compound	function/occur
Lychnose (1-α-Galactosyl-raffinose)	O-α-D-Galp-(1→6)-O-α-D-Glup-(1→2)-O-β-D-Fruf-(1→1)-O-α-D-Galp
Maltotetraose	O-α-D-Glcp-(1→4)-O-α-D-Glcp-(1→4)-O-α-D-Glcp-(1→4)-D-Glcp	in Starchsyrup
Nigerotetraose	O-α-D-Glcp-(1→3)-O-α-D-Glcp-(1→3)-O-α-D-Glcp-(1→3)-D-Glcp
Nystose (β-D-Fructosyl-1-kestose)	O-α-D-Glcp-(1→2)-β-D-Fruf-(1→2)-β-D-Fruf-(1→2)-β-D-Fruf
Sesamose	O-α-D-Galp-(1→6)-O-α-D-Galp-(1→6)-O-β-D-Fruf-(2→1)-O-α-D-Glcp
Stachyose	O-α-D-Galp-(1→6)-O-α-D-Galp-(1→6)-O-α-D-Glcp-(1→2)-β-D-Fruf	widespread in plants (artichoke, soybean)