Sugars Flashcards
What are carbohydrates?
are sugar molecules that provides the energy and carbon source for non photosynthetic cells of plants, animals &
microorganisms.
What does carbohydrates (ribose, deoxyribose) form?
form the structural framework of DNA & RNA essential for storage & expression of genetic information
What are complex carbohydrates (polymers)?
are structural elements of bacteria, plants, exoskeletons of arthropods & crustaceans
What happens when complex carbohydrates coat animal cell surface?
give biological specificity and
structural heterogeneity to biomolecules,
lubricate skeletal joints, and form adhesion
between cells….and much more…..
What is the scientific name of sugar coating?
Glyco-calyx
Sugars are the first to be seen on the cell surface true or false?
True
What key role does cell surface carbohydrates have?
They have a key role in molecular recognition
Where are glycoconjugates found?
They are found everywhere mostly outside but also inside cells
Mono saccharide building blocks TABLE
Other important monosaccharides and glycan modifications (substituents) DIAGRAM
How does stereoisomers arise?
from asymmetric centres (chiral carbon)
What are epimers?
Sugars that only differ around a single chiral carbon
e.g. mannose and glucose
What is the overall configurations of carbohydrates and amino acid?
L- and D- configuration
What are anomeric carbons?
Additional stereogenic carbon formed upon ring closure
What are anomericity?
Configuration (R or S) at the anomeric carbon and the stereogenic centre furthest from it.
α anomer: same configuration
β anomer: different configuration
