Carbohydrates Flashcards
why are carbs highly oxizable?
Beacuse of the ‘high energy’ associated hydrogen electrons.
Carbohydrates are a amjor source of?
Energy
What can carbs store?
Potential energy
Name some other functions of carbs.
They have structural and potective functions.
Contribute to commuinication between cells.
What kind of potential energy do plants store?
Starch
What kind of potential energy do animals store?
Glycogen
What structural support do carbs give in plants?
Cell walls.
What structural support do carbs give in animal?
Extra cellular matrices
Name the three types of monosaccharides that are important in humans?
Glucose, galactose and fructose.
Name the three important disaacharides in humans.
Maltose, sucrose and lactose
How are dissacharides formed?
Monomers that have been joined toegther by glycosidic bonds.
Which dissacharide is the main sugar found in milk?
Lactose
Which dissacharide is the sugar we would buy from the shop?
Sucrose
Which disaccharide is the breakdown product of starch?
Maltose
What are polysaccharides?
Polymers of medium to high molecular weight.
Define homopolysaccharide
Single monomeric species
Define heteropolysaccarides.
Have two or more monomer species.
Name the two types of glucose polymer found in starch.
Amylase and amylopectin.
90% of glycogen is found in two places. Name them.
Liver and skeletal muscle.
What does the glycogen in the liver do?
Acts to replenish blood glucose when fasting.
What does the glyogen in the skeletal muscle do?
catabolism produces ATP for contraction.
Describe why glusocse is stored in polymers.
- It’s compact.
- Amylopectine and glycogen have non-reducuing ends meaning they can be readily synthesised and degraded.
What are glycoproteins?
Proteins that have carbs covalently attached.
The % of carb content in glycoproteins varies between?
1-80%
When carb attach to proteins, this may…
- Increase protein solubility
- Influence protein folding and conformation
- Protect it from degradation
- Act as commuinication within cells.
What is GAG short for?
Glycosaminoglycans
well done if you get this hehe
What are GAGs?
Linear polysaccharides consisting of repeating dissaccharide units.