Atetrasaccharide is acarbohydrate which gives uponhydrolysis four molecules of the same or differentmonosaccharides. For example,stachyose upon hydrolysis gives one molecule each ofglucose andfructose and two molecules ofgalactose. The general formula of a tetrasaccharide is typically C24H42O21.
In addition to free tetrasaccharides, the term tetrasaccharide is often used to describe subunits or bioconjugates. Thus, tetrasaccharide groups appended to red blood cells are responsible forblood types.[1] A repeating modified tetrasaccharide (gal-gal-gal-raf) comprisesgellan.[2]
