D-Xylulose is a ketopentose, a monosaccharide containing five carbon atoms and a ketone functional group.1 It is converted from xylitol in the glucoronate-xylulose pathway. D-Xylulokinase catalyzes the ATP-dependent phosphorylation of D-xylulose to produce xylulose 5-phosphate, which is linked to the pentose-phosphate pathway.2
1.Nagy, G., and Pohl, N.L.B.Monosaccharide identification as a first step toward de novo carbohydrate sequencing: Mass spectrometry strategy for the identification and differentiation of diastereomeric and enantiomeric pentose isomersAnal. Chem.87(8)4566-4571(2015) 2.Bunker, R.D., Bulloch, E.M.M., Dickson, J.M.J., et al.Structure and function of human xylulokinase, an enzyme with important roles in carbohydrate metabolismJ. Biol. Chem.288(3)1643-1652(2013)