What is the primary structural characteristic of disaccharides?

Disaccharides are carbohydrates that are formed when two monosaccharides undergo a chemical reaction known as dehydration synthesis or condensation reaction. During this process, a molecule of water is removed, allowing the two monosaccharides to bond together through a glycosidic linkage. This specific linkage is key to the structure and functionality of disaccharides.

For example, sucrose is a disaccharide consisting of glucose and fructose, and it forms when these two monosaccharides are joined together through dehydration synthesis. This characteristic is fundamental to understanding not just disaccharides, but also the broader category of carbohydrates and their interactions.

While other types of carbohydrates and bonds (like peptide bonds in proteins) exist, the precise definition and formation mechanism of disaccharides revolve specifically around the combination of two monosaccharides by means of dehydration synthesis. This makes that choice the most accurate representation of their primary structural characteristic.