Glycogen synthesis and metabolism Flashcards
What type of molecule is glycogen? What is it made up of?
Polysaccharide
Glucose monomers
What is the function of Glycogen?
Storage of glucose
Where is glycogen stored? How much is stored in each location? What is the glycogen used for in each location?
Liver- 100g- Maintains blood glucose
Muscle- 400g- Supplies energy during muscle contraction
Why is glucose stored as glycogen?
- Less osmotically active than glucose
- Easier to mobilize to and from liver to maintain blood glucose
and to and from muscles to generate ATP
What is required before glycogen can be formed from glucose?
The primer glycogenin. Glucose must attach to glycogenin
Glucose – 6 – phosphate (G6P)
Which bond is used to form a chain of glucose molecules?
Alpha 1,4- glucosidic bond between carbon atoms
Which bond is used to form branches in a chain of glucose molecules?
1,6 carbon link forms branches
How is glycogen stored? Why is it stored in this manner?
As a macroglycogen. It is a large molecule so more enzymes can work to break the molecule down and build it up quicker
When is glycogen produced and stored?
During rest and when there is an increase in glucose concentration
What is the name for glycogen break down?
Glycogenolysis
Which enzyme is first used to break down glycogen branches? Which enzyme is used to break down the actual chain?
a-1,6-glucosidase
Glycogen phosphorylase
What is glycogenin
A primer used in the formation of glycogen
Describe the 4 steps in glycogen synthesis
Step 1: G6P –> G1P
Step 2: G1P –>UDP-glucose using uridine triphosphate (UTP)
Step 3: UDP-glucose added to growing glycogen chain attached to the glycogenin primer.
(Glycogen synthase adds UDP by catalysing the 1,4-glycosidic bond)
Step 4: Branches added to growing glucose chains using enzyme glycogen 4,6 transferase to created 1,6 bonds.
Which enzyme catalyses the formation of glycogen branches?
glycogen 4,6 transferase
Which enzyme catalyses the addition of glucose to glycogen chain?
Glycogen synthase
What happens to glycogen in the liver? When does this occur?
G6P is de-phosphorylated to glucose to go directly in the blood stream to maintain glucose homeostasis.
Occurs during periods of fasting to maintain constant glucose levels.
What happens to glycogen in muscles during?
All glycogen goes directly into glycolysis to produce energy directly so never becomes glucose.
Used as a medium –term course of energy
What happens to lactate during anaerobic respiration?
During anaerobic respiration, lactate produced by glycolysis can be recycled via the Cori cycle.
Which biological pathway produces lactate?
Glycolysis
Name the molecules which control glycogen production
- Insulin
- Glucagon
- Adrenaline (aka Epinephrine)
- Calcium
Which hormone produces insulin and glucagon? How is there relationship described?
Pancreas
Antagonistic
Describe how insulin controls glycogen
Stimulates glycogen production by:
Activating glycogen synthase
Inhibiting glycogen phosphorylate
When is insulin most often released?
After a meal
Describe how glucagon controls glycogen
Stimulates glycogen breakdown by:
Inhibiting glycogen synthase
Activating glycogen phosphorylase