Carbohydrates 1-2 Flashcards
Name the types of carbohydrates in the diet.
Monosaccharides
Disaccharides
Polysaccharides
Describe starch as a carbohydrate within the body.
Starch is a polysaccharide composed of 2 glucose monomers; amylose, amylopectin. It has many non-reducing ends which are acted on when starch is broken down.
Describe glycogen as a carbohydrate within the body.
Glycogen is a polymer of glucose (a1-4) linked subunits with branches of (a1-6). This means it ultimately has more glucose molecules than starch, and is also more extensively branched.
Describe the reasoning behind the storage of glucose in polymers.
Compactness
Amylopectin and glycogen have many non-reducing ends, allows them to be readily synthesised or degraded to and from monomers.
Polymers are OSMOTICALLY INACTIVE. If free glucose was in the cell, Glc (inside)»_space; Glc (outside). The glucose would move out of the cell down the concentration gradient, or the cell would use lots of energy trying to keep within the cell.
Describe glycoproteins generally.
Proteins that have carbohydrates covalently bonded.
Most extracellular eukaryotic proteins (membrane proteins or secreted proteins) have associated carbohydrate molecules.
Describe GAGs (glycosaminoglycans).
Found in mucus and synovial fluids. These are unbranched polymers that are made from repeating units of hexuronic acid and an amino acid sugar, which alternate through the chains. The fact that they are unbranched allows them to be “slippery” meaning that they are responsible for the lubrication of mucus and synovial fluid
Describe proteoglycans.
The carbohydrate content is more than protein content.
Formed from GAGs covalently bonding to their “core” protein. They are macromolecules found on the surface of cells or in between cells in the EC matrix.
Possess a disorganised structure, which prevents them from meshing together, which allows them to form connective tissue.
Give a general description of mucopolysaccharidoses.
Mucopolysaccharidoses = genetic conditions caused by absence or malfunction of enzymes that are required for breakdown GAGs.
Causes a build up of GAGs in connective tissue, blood or other cells of the body.
The build up damages cellular architecture and function.
This can cause inflammation of joints, or stunt bone growth.
Name the main carbohydrates in our diet.
Starch
Glycogen
Cellulose (don’t digest)
Hemicellulose (don’t digest)
Oligosaccharides containing (a1-6) linked galactose (don’t digest)
Lactose
Sucrose
Maltose
Glucose
Fructose
Briefly describe the digestion of carbohydrates, (until the jejunum).
Food enters the mouth, and salivary amylase hydrolases the (a1-4) bonds of starch.
There is no carbohydrate digestion in the stomach.
In the 1st of the 3 parts of the small intestine (Duodenum), pancreatic amylase works as in the mouth.
In the Jejunum, this is where final digestion by mucosal cell-surface enzymes.
Describe the absorption of glucose into epithelial cells.
In the fed state (just after a meal), there will be high dietary glucose in the gut, which means there is high Na+(Cl+). So the sodium-glucose symport allows 2 sodium to pass down its concentration gradient from the intestinal lumen to the epithelial cell, carrying one glucose with it.
ATP-driven Na+ pump maintains the low cellular sodium, so that glucose can continually be moved into the epithelial cells.
Describe the absorption of fructose.
Fructose is different and binds to channel proteins GLUT5, they simply move down their concentration gradient, (high in gut lumen, low in blood).
Describe how the indigestible carbohydrates are absorbed.
Cellulose and hemicellulose.
Both are not digested, they increase faecal bulk and decrease transit time.
Oligosaccharides are also not digested, lack of them in the diet can lead to poor health, due to food not being digested and lingering in the body for some time - this has been proved to cause some cancer.
These polymers are broken down by gut bacteria; yielding methane and hydrogen.
Describe the fate of absorbed glucose once it has moved into the epithelial cells.
Glucose diffuses through the intestinal epithelium cells into the portal blood and on to the liver.
Glucose is then immediately phosphorylated into glucose-6-phosphate by the hepatocytes of the liver.
Glucose-6-phosphate cannot diffuse out of the cell because GLUT transporters wont recognise it.
The glucose is now essentially trapped within the cell.
Describe the actions and functions of glucokinase.
Glucokinase phosphorylate glucose to produce glucose-6-phosphate.
Glucokinase has a high Km, which means it has a low affinity for glucose, so it doesn’t “grab” glucose when the blood glucose levels are normal.
However glucokinase has a high Vmax which indicates it is an efficient enzyme and can rapidly change glucose to G-6-P.
Primarily found in the liver.
Describe the actions and functions of hexokinase.
Hexokinase (tissues)
Has a high affinity for glucose, and is an inefficient enzyme.
Even at low glucose levels, tissues can grab glucose effectively, the low Vmax means tissues are ‘easily satisfied’ so don’t keep grabbing for glucose.
Describe the 1st step of the synthesis of glycogen.
Glycogen does not form from glucose monomers.
Glycogenin (the central enzyme) begins the process by covalently binding the glucose from uracil-diphosphate (UDP)-glucose to form chains of approximately 8 glucose residues, these are primers.
Then glycogen synthase takes over and extends glucose to the growing chain.
Describe the 2nd step of the synthesis of glycogen (after glycogen synthase has taken over).
The chains formed by glycogen synthase of approximately 8 glucose residues, are then broken down by glycogen-branching enzyme and reattached via (a1-6) bonds to give branch points.
Describe the degradation of glycogen.
The degradation or mobilisation of glycogen:
The enzyme glycogen phosphorylase catalyses the transfer of phosphate groups from glucose residues.
The glucose near the branch is removed in a 2-step process by de-branching enzyme.
Transferase activity of de-branching enzyme removes a set of 3 glucose residues and attached them to the nearest non-reducing end via (a1-4) bond, this is straightening out the chain.
Glucosidase activity then removes the final glucose by breaking a (a1-6) linkage to release free glucose.
This leaves an unbranched chain, which can be further degraded or built upon as needed.
Compare the functions of glycogen in skeletal muscle and the liver.
In skeletal muscle there is no glucose-6-phosphatase, so the G-6-P progresses to lactate via glycolysis. The production of lactate also generates ATP, which is utilised for muscle contraction.
THIS IS SUBSTRATE LEVEL PHOSPHORYLATION.
In the liver the blood glucose falls and the glycogen is converted to G-6-P. The G-6-P is then converted to glucose by Glucose - 6 -Phosphatase. The glucose is excreted into the blood. Ultimately raising blood glucose levels.
Describe the function of glycolysis.
Main function is to split glucose into two, generating the only energy available to generate when they lack O2 (exercising muscle) or mitochondria (RBC).
Describe the phases of the process of glycolysis.
Phase 1 = preparatory phase (step 1 -4).
Phase 2 = pay-off phase (step 5-10).
For each glucose passing through the preparatory phase, 2 molecules of G-3-P are formed, and 2 ATP are used, with 4 ATP gained in pay-off stage.
=energy generation, net gain of 2 ATP.
Describe the preparatory phase of glycolysis.
Once glucose is inside our cells, glycolysis occurs.
Glucose is phosphorylated by hexokinase. (use of 1 ATP) to give:
G-6-P, this is converted by phosphohexose isomerase to:
F-6-P, which is phosphorylated by phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK-1). (use of 1 ATP). The phosphorylation gives:
F-1,6bisP, which is then cleaved by aldolase to give 2 different 3C triose sugars:
G-3-P, at this stage there is an interconversion of these triose sugars by triose phosphate isomerase.
In the prep phase there was 2 ATP used and there were 2 irreversible steps.
Describe the final digestion of carbohydrates in the jejunum.
The final digestion is carried out by mucosal cell-surface enzymes:
1 - the (a1-6) bonds are hydrolysed.
2 - Glc is removed sequentially from non-reducing ends.
3 - Sucrose is hydrolysed
4 - Lactose is hydrolysed.
