Biochemistry Disaccharides and Polysaccharides Quiz

Which enzyme is secreted by bacteria in the digestive system of herbivores to break down cellulose?

What is the function of carbohydrates in arthropods such as insects and crabs?

What distinguishes chitin from other carbohydrates like cellulose?

Which of the following macromolecules primarily serves as an energy source in animals?

How do herbivores utilize grass that is rich in cellulose?

What is formed when two monosaccharides undergo a dehydration reaction?

Which disaccharide is composed of glucose and galactose?

Which of the following is NOT a common disaccharide?

What is the primary function of starch in plants?

What is the main component of the cell walls of plants?

What form of glucose storage is unique to animals?

Which statement about cellulose is true?

How does cellulose differ from starch in its structure?

Formed when two monosaccharides undergo a dehydration reaction (water molecule is removed)
Common disaccharides:
- Lactose: glucose + galactose (found in milk)
- Maltose: glucose + glucose
- Sucrose: glucose + fructose (table sugar)

Long chain of monosaccharides linked by covalent bonds
May be branched or unbranched
May contain different types of monosaccharides
Common polysaccharides:
- Starch: storage form of sugar in plants (amylose and amylopectin, both polymers of glucose)
- Glycogen: storage form of glucose in animals (highly branched, stored in liver and muscle cells)
- Cellulose: structural support in plants (made of glucose monomers linked in a specific way, providing rigidity and tensile strength)
- Chitin: forms the exoskeleton in arthropods (nitrogenous carbohydrate, made of repeating units of modified sugar)

Cannot be broken down by human digestive enzymes
Herbivores possess bacteria in their digestive system that produce cellulase, which breaks down cellulose into glucose