structure of disaccharides

Question 1

What are disaccharides made of?

Answer 1

Two monosaccharides covalently bonded via a condensation reaction.

Question 2

What type of bond forms between monosaccharides in disaccharides?

Answer 2

Glycosidic bond.

Question 3

How do α-glycosidic linkages differ from β-glycosidic linkages in disaccharides?

Answer 3

α-glycosidic linkages create straight bonds (e.g., α(1→4)), while β-glycosidic linkages create bent bonds, affecting packing and digestibility as humans lack the enzyme to hydrolyze these β-glycosidic bonds efficiently, making them less digestible.

Question 4

What enzymes break down disaccharides in the small intestine?

Answer 4

Sucrase (for sucrose), lactase (for lactose), maltase (for maltose), and trehalase (for trehalose).

Question 5

Why can humans not digest lactulose and certain fibers like cellulose?

Answer 5

Humans lack the digestive enzymes required to hydrolyze these carbohydrates.

Question 6

What role does the gut microbiome play in digesting non-digestible carbohydrates?

Answer 6

The gut microbiome contains enzymes that can utilize non-digestible carbohydrates, forming a symbiotic relationship with the host.

Question 7

How do the structural differences between disaccharides affect metabolism?

Answer 7

The orientation of glycosidic bonds influences how easily disaccharides can be digested and metabolized, impacting dietary choices.

Question 8

What type of linkages do fibers like hemicellulose and cellulose contain?

Answer 8

They contain β(1→4) glycosidic linkages derived from cellobiose.