FT LEC: Carbohydrates Flashcards
are polyhydroxylated aldehydes or ketones; or compounds that yield polyhydroxylated aldehydes or ketones upon hydrolysis
Carbohydrates
are the most abundant class of bioorganic molecules on Earth
Carbohydrates
Produced by green plants (chlorophyll-containing) via photosynthesis
Carbohydrates
Function of carbohydrates in plants
- Serve as structural elements in the form of cellulose
- Provide short term storage in the form of starch
Classification of Carbohydrates
- Monosaccaharide
- Disaccharide
- Oligosaccharide
- Polysaccharide
are classified according to the type of carbonyl group present and the number of carbon atoms in the open chain
Monosaccharides
A monosaccharide is characterized by the number of C atoms in its chain
3 carbons = triose
4 carbons = tetrose
5 carbons = pentose
6 carbons = hexose
are the simplest carbohydrates; usually contain three to six carbon atoms in an open chain with either an aldehyde or a ketone in one end with multiple hydroxyl group
Monosaccharides
Appear as white, crystalline solids
Monosaccharides
water-soluble and taste sweet
Carbohydrates
The simplest monosaccharides; serve as important intermediates in glycolysis
Glyceraldehyde and Dihydroxyacetone
a chiral molecule
Glyceraldehyde (D-Glyceraldehyde)
achiral molecule
Dihydroxyacetone
The most abundant monosaccharide in nature, and most important from a nutritional standpoint
D-Glucose
Found in large amounts in ripe fruits particularly grapes(grape sugar)
D-Glucose
Two other names of D-glucose
- Dextrose
- Blood sugar
draws attention that D-glucose is optically active and rotates plane polarized light to the right (dextrorotatory)
Dextrose
because the blood contains dissolved glucose (70mg/dL) regulated by the hormones insulin and glucagon
Blood sugar
Seldom found as a free monosaccharide
D-Galactose
Epimer of D-glucose at carbon 4
D-Galactose
Synthesized from D-glucose in the mammary glands and bonds with D-glucose to form lactose
D-Galactose
Found on the membranes of different cell types
D-Galactose
Biochemically the most important ketose
D-Fructose
the sweetest-tasting of all sugars; found in fruits (also known as fruit sugar), and honey in equal amounts with glucose
D-Fructose