Importance of Carbohydrates in living organisms
The importance of carbohydrates in living organisms
Carbohydrates contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in the ratio of 1.2.1.. There are many different types of carbohydrate, all of which are useful to living organisms. The most important carbohydrate is probable glucose.
Glucose is a monosaccharide and is the monomer unit which makes up more complex polysaccharides. Two glucose molecules can be joined in a condensation reaction, whereby water is removed, for example to produce maltose, a disaccharide. The bond between the glucose molecules is a 1-4 glycosidic bond. Glucose is also soluble, a reducing sugar and the blood sugar of mammals. It is respired to produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate, a chemical energy store) and is therefore required for growth. During glycolysis, a process which occurs in the cytoplasm and generates 2 ATP, glucose is phosphorylated to produce a 6 carbon phophorylated sugar. Glucose is essential for respiration and therefore essential for ATP production. ATP is required for various activities, for example active transport systems such as glucose reabsorption in the kidney, or muscle contraction.
There are two other monosaccharides: fructose and lactose. Fructose is found in sperm and in fruits, to make them more attractive to animals. Lactose is found in the milk of mammals and is an important energy supply for their young. These monosaccharides also help to build disaccharides. Glucose and fructose join together to form sucrose and glucose and lactose join to form galactose.
Sucrose is the major transport carbohydrate of green plants. It is transported in the phloem by translocation. It is formed in the leaves by photosynthesis. The Calvin cycle (the light independent reactions) which takes place in the stroma produces glucose, which in turn is changed into sucrose.
Complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides) are produced from glucose, monomers. Cellulose, for example, is a long chain of glucose units (about 3000 units). Each unit is
Carbohydrates contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in the ratio of 1.2.1.. There are many different types of carbohydrate, all of which are useful to living organisms. The most important carbohydrate is probable glucose.
Glucose is a monosaccharide and is the monomer unit which makes up more complex polysaccharides. Two glucose molecules can be joined in a condensation reaction, whereby water is removed, for example to produce maltose, a disaccharide. The bond between the glucose molecules is a 1-4 glycosidic bond. Glucose is also soluble, a reducing sugar and the blood sugar of mammals. It is respired to produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate, a chemical energy store) and is therefore required for growth. During glycolysis, a process which occurs in the cytoplasm and generates 2 ATP, glucose is phosphorylated to produce a 6 carbon phophorylated sugar. Glucose is essential for respiration and therefore essential for ATP production. ATP is required for various activities, for example active transport systems such as glucose reabsorption in the kidney, or muscle contraction.
There are two other monosaccharides: fructose and lactose. Fructose is found in sperm and in fruits, to make them more attractive to animals. Lactose is found in the milk of mammals and is an important energy supply for their young. These monosaccharides also help to build disaccharides. Glucose and fructose join together to form sucrose and glucose and lactose join to form galactose.
Sucrose is the major transport carbohydrate of green plants. It is transported in the phloem by translocation. It is formed in the leaves by photosynthesis. The Calvin cycle (the light independent reactions) which takes place in the stroma produces glucose, which in turn is changed into sucrose.
Complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides) are produced from glucose, monomers. Cellulose, for example, is a long chain of glucose units (about 3000 units). Each unit is