A five carbon sugar that is a component of ribonucleic acid (RNA), where it alternates with phosphate groups to form the "back-bone" of the RNA polymer and binds to nitrogen bases. Ribose phosphates are components of nucleotide coenzymes and are utilized by microorganisms in the synthesis of the amino acid histidine. A relative, deoxyribose, is a constituent of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), where it alternates with phosphate groups to form the "back-bone" of the DNA polymer and binds to nitrogen bases.