Erythrose

Erythrose is a tetrose carbohydrate with the chemical formula C₄H₈O₄. It has one aldehyde group, and so is part of the aldose family. The natural isomer is -erythrose.

Erythrose was first isolated in 1849 from rhubarb by the French pharmacist Louis Feux Joseph Garot (1798-1869), and was named as such because of its red hue in the presence of alkali metals (ἐρυθρός, "red").

Erythrose 4-phosphate is an intermediate in the pentose phosphate pathway and the Calvin cycle.

Oxidative bacteria can be made to use erythrose as its sole energy source.