In E. coli, L-fucose and L-rhamnose are metabolized through parallel pathways. The pathways converge after their corresponding aldolase reactions yielding the same products: lactaldehye. Proton symporter can facilitate the import of alpha-L-rhamnopyranose, methylpentose and beta-L-rhamnopyranose into cell for further metabolism, which allow E.coli to grow with carbon and energy. For alpha-L-rhamnopyranose, it is isomerized by a l-rhamnose mutarotase resulting in a beta-L-rhamnopyranose which is then isomerized into a keto-L-rhamnulose by a l-rhamnose isomerase. The keto-L-rhamnulose spontaneously changes into a L-rhamnulofuranose which is phosphorylated by a rhamnulokinase resulting in a L-rhamnulose 1-phosphate. This compound reacts with a rhamnulose-1-phosphate aldolase resulting in a dihydroxyacetone phosphate and a lactaldehyde. For beta-L-rhamnopyranose, it is isomerized by a L-fucose mutarotase resulting in a alpha-L-fucopyranose. This compound is then isomerized by an L-fucose isomerase resulting in a L-fuculose which in turn gets phosphorylated into an L-fuculose 1-phosphate through an L-fuculokinase. The compound L-fuculose 1-phosphate reacts with an L-fuculose phosphate aldolase through a dihydroxyacetone phosphate and a lactaldehyde. Two pathways can both be used for degrading L-lactaldehyde, which the aerobic pathway facilitates the conversion from L-lactic acid to pyruvic acid via L-lactate dehydrogenase, and the anaerobic pathway facilitates conversion from lactaldehyde to propane-1,2-diol via lactaldehyde reductase. Under aerobic conditions, L-lactaldehyde is oxidized in two steps to pyruvate, thereby channeling all the carbons from fucose or rhamnose into central metabolic pathways. Under anaerobic conditions, L-lactaldehyde is reduced to L-1,2-propanediol, which is secreted into the environment.

Fucose and Rhamnose Degradation References