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Questions and Answers
Why do polysaccharides differ from each other?
Why do polysaccharides differ from each other?
What distinguishes homopolysaccharides from heteropolysaccharides?
What distinguishes homopolysaccharides from heteropolysaccharides?
What is the main function of homopolysaccharides like starch and glycogen?
What is the main function of homopolysaccharides like starch and glycogen?
Where is glycogen notably abundant in the body?
Where is glycogen notably abundant in the body?
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What is a key characteristic of glycogen granules found in hepatocytes?
What is a key characteristic of glycogen granules found in hepatocytes?
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Why is glucose not stored in its monomeric form like polysaccharides?
Why is glucose not stored in its monomeric form like polysaccharides?
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Which process can hydrolyze disaccharides to yield their free monosaccharide components?
Which process can hydrolyze disaccharides to yield their free monosaccharide components?
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What type of bond joins the anomeric carbon of a sugar to a nitrogen atom in glycoproteins and nucleotides?
What type of bond joins the anomeric carbon of a sugar to a nitrogen atom in glycoproteins and nucleotides?
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Why is lactose considered a reducing disaccharide?
Why is lactose considered a reducing disaccharide?
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Which disaccharide yields D-galactose and D-glucose upon hydrolysis, and is naturally found in milk?
Which disaccharide yields D-galactose and D-glucose upon hydrolysis, and is naturally found in milk?
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What characteristic makes sucrose a suitable molecule for the storage and transport of energy in plants?
What characteristic makes sucrose a suitable molecule for the storage and transport of energy in plants?
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What distinguishes sucrose from maltose and lactose in terms of the anomeric carbons?
What distinguishes sucrose from maltose and lactose in terms of the anomeric carbons?
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What is the defining feature of disaccharides?
What is the defining feature of disaccharides?
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Which of the following is a hexose derivative with an amino group replacing a hydroxyl group?
Which of the following is a hexose derivative with an amino group replacing a hydroxyl group?
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In the context of polysaccharides, what does a glycosidic bond connect?
In the context of polysaccharides, what does a glycosidic bond connect?
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Which type of bond is readily hydrolyzed by acid but resists cleavage by base?
Which type of bond is readily hydrolyzed by acid but resists cleavage by base?
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What is the function of glucosamine in many structural polymers?
What is the function of glucosamine in many structural polymers?
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Which sugar derivative contains an oxidized carbon atom resulting in a carboxyl group?
Which sugar derivative contains an oxidized carbon atom resulting in a carboxyl group?
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Study Notes
Disaccharides
- Disaccharides can be hydrolyzed to yield their free monosaccharide components by boiling with dilute acid.
- N-glycosyl bonds join the anomeric carbon of a sugar to a nitrogen atom in glycoproteins and nucleotides.
- Lactose, a disaccharide of D-galactose and D-glucose, occurs naturally in milk and is a reducing disaccharide.
- Sucrose, a disaccharide of glucose and fructose, is formed by plants but not by animals and is a nonreducing sugar.
- Trehalose, a disaccharide of D-glucose, is a nonreducing sugar and a major constituent of the circulating fluid of insects, serving as an energy-storage compound.
Polysaccharides
- Polysaccharides are polymers of medium to high molecular weight and differ from each other in the identity of their recurring monosaccharide units, chain length, bond types, and degree of branching.
- Homopolysaccharides contain only a single monomeric species, while heteropolysaccharides contain two or more different kinds.
- Homopolysaccharides serve as storage forms of monosaccharides that are used as fuels, such as starch and glycogen.
- Other homopolysaccharides, such as cellulose and chitin, serve as structural elements in plant cell walls and animal exoskeletons.
- Heteropolysaccharides provide extracellular support for organisms of all kingdoms, such as the peptidoglycan in bacterial cell envelopes.
Glycogen
- Glycogen is a homopolysaccharide of glucose, especially abundant in the liver, where it may constitute up to 7% of the wet weight.
- Glycogen is also present in skeletal muscle and is found in large granules, which are themselves clusters of smaller granules composed of single, highly branched glycogen molecules.
- Glycogen granules also contain, in tightly bound form, the enzymes responsible for the synthesis and degradation of glycogen.
Hexose Derivatives
- Organisms contain a variety of hexose derivatives, including sugar derivatives with a hydroxyl group replaced with another substituent or a carbon atom oxidized to a carboxyl group.
- Examples of hexose derivatives include glucosamine, galactosamine, and mannosamine, which are part of many structural polymers, including those of the bacterial cell wall.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the hydrolysis of disaccharides to yield free monosaccharide components, N-glycosyl bonds, and characteristics of specific disaccharides like lactose and sucrose.
