D-Arabinose is a rare aldopentose, and is rarely utilized by enteric bacteria as a source of carbon and energy. It is also found in the aloins of the plant genus
Aloe and as a constituent of the polysaccharide of the bacterial genus
Mycobacterium. Some of the enteric bacteria like
Escherichia coli K-12 can mutate to utilize D-arabinose.
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