Carbohydrates 3: Structural Units

Question 1

What do beta-glucose and alpha-glucose?

Answer 1

Beta-glucose can be bonded in a long chain through condensation reactions. Alpha-glucose molecules can be condensed to form coiled spring-like chains. When beta-glucose condenses, the resulting chains are long and straight.

Question 2

What does beta-glucose form?

Answer 2

Beta-glucose polymer chains are called cellulose chains. Only found in plants, most abundant structural polysaccharide in nature.

Question 3

What happens in cellulose that makes it strong?

Answer 3

Glucose monomers in cellulose contain many OH groups; hydrogen bonds form. 60-70 cellulose molecuesl become cross-linked to form bundles microfibrils - in turn held together by more hydrogen bonds to form karger bundles macrofabrils.

Question 4

What does Chitin do?

Answer 4

Polysaccharide chitin forms exoskeleton of insects. Polysaccharide peptidoglycan is the basis of the the cell wall in bacteria.