Glycogen metabolism Flashcards
When glucose is from glycogen, does it provide enough for a day?
yes
Tell me the glycogen composition?
- branched polymer of glucose (macromolecule)
- Main chan is alpha (1–>4) linkage with glycosidic bonds
- side chain is alpha (1–>6) linkage with glycosidic bonds

Tell me about glycogen’s structure?
Where branches occur?
diameter?
How many glucose molecules per glycogen?
etc.
- Helical structure- coiled chain
- 12-14 glucose/ chain
- Branch occurs every 8-12 glucoses (there will be side chains coming off these also)
- 3D branching structure
- Up to 120,000 glucose per glycogen molecules
- Roughly 10-40 nm diameter
Tell me about glycogen storage?
The percentage kept in liver and muscle and why this ratio?
- Glycogen granules (=20-40 molecules)
- Up to 10% of liver mass (liver glycogen store is for the entire body)
- 1-2% of muscle (smaller store as only for muscle)
Tell me the steps to Glycogenolysis and the enzymes used…

What do phosphorylases use to make or break bonds?
Pi
Compare hydrolysis and Phosphorolysis
Hydrolysis: R-O-R’ + HOH –> R-OH + R’-OH
Phosphorolysis: R-O-R’ + HOPO32- –> R-OH + R’-OPO32-
(Both use molecules with an oxygen bridge)
What are all the different things Pi can be called/ referred to as?
Pi = HPO42- = HOPO32- = orthophosphate = inorganic phosphate
Why is phosphorolysis used?
Glycogen –> glucose –> Glucose-6-phosphate (requires ATP). so dont waste ATP then
Tell me the cleft to phosphorylases active site
Deep cleft to active site- Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) prosthetic group.
Whats needed for the enzyme Phosphorylase to work?
Vitamin B6
What are the 3 isozymes that are all referred to as phosphorylase?
- Muscle (mGP)
- Brain (bGP)
- Liver (lGP)
Whats phosphorylase a monomer of?
Homodimer
Phosphorylase is processive, what does this mean?
Phosphorylase is processive- carry on and do next reaction without substrate being released. As long as phosphate ions break the glycosidic bond
What does procession and a branched structure of phosphorylase mean?
The rapid metabolism of glucose
What does the branched structure of glycogen mean?
It means that more enzymes can be used at any one time which produces more glucose molecules at any one time
What can’t the phosphorylase enzyme break?
- Can’t break 1 –> 6 bonds (can only break that 1–>4 linkages)
- Can’t breal the 1–> 4 bonds within 4 units of a branching point
Therefore, can only break outer side chains due to limitations as can’t get to the rest of the molecule
Branced –> Linear structure using the branching enzyme

What happens to muscle glycogen and liver glycogen?

What enzyme turns G-1-P to G-6-P?

How does the enzyme convert G-1-P to G-6-P?

What are the steps to Glucogenesis?

Show the steps to glucose metabolism?

What two things determine the direction of the glycogenesis reaction?
- speed
- number of possible reactions





