Carbohydrates

Question 1

What is the difference between ketoses and aldoses and give examples of each.

Answer 1

Aldoses: carbonyl group at the end of carbon chain
ribose, glucose, galactose, glyceraldehyde
Ketoses: carbonyl group within the carbon chain
fructose, ribulose. dihidroxyacetone

Question 2

What is a monosaccharide? Give examples and state what kind they are

Answer 2

Simplest form of carbohydrate - one sugar unit
- glucose (hexose)
- fructose (hexose)
- galactose (hexose)
- ribose (pentose)

Question 3

Examples of disaccharides and what they are made of

Answer 3

Sucrose = glucose + fructose

Lactose = glucose + galactose

Maltose = glucose + glucose

Question 4

How are disaccharides formed?

Answer 4

Via condensation reactions (water released)
Forms glycosidic bond

Question 5

What biochemical pathways are carbohydrates important in?

Answer 5

Glycolysis: breakdown of glucose for energy production
Glucogenesis: synthesis of glucose from non-carbohydrate precursors
Glycogenesis: Conversion of glucose to glycogen for storage
Glycogenolysis: Breakdown of glycogen back to glucose

Question 6

What are polysaccharides? And give examples

Answer 6

Large macromolecules made up of many monosaccharide units.
- starch
- glycogen
- cellulose
- chitin

Question 7

What are some carbohydrases and give a brief description of their function.

Answer 7

Amylase: breaks down starch
Lactase: breaks down lactose into glucose and galactose