Deoxyribose is a five-carbon sugar molecule that is a crucial component of the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) backbone. It is derived from the sugar ribose by the loss of an oxygen atom (hence the "deoxy" prefix). Deoxyribose is essential in the formation of DNA, which carries the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known living organisms and many viruses.
