Plant polysachharides Flashcards
Name the 3 polysaccharides that provide strong building materials
Plants - cellulose
seaweed - agarose and agar
insects - chitin
Cellulose is what structure of glucose
Unbranched homopolysaccharide
Glucose monomers form how in cellulose
Beta C1 to C4
What bonds form between adjacent monomers in cellulose
Hydrogen bonds
Describe what properties cellulose gives
Tough and water-insoluble
What makes cellulose a difficult substrate to act on
Fibrous structure and water-insolubility
What do fungi, bacteria and protzoa use as a source of glucose by secreting what
Uses wood as a source of glucose by secreting cellulase
why cant most animals use cellulose as a fuel source ?
lack enzyme to hydrolyze (beta C1 to C4) linkages
How do ruminants and termites live with microorganisms that produces cellulase
Live symbiotically
Chtin is what structure of N-acetylglucosamine
Linear homopolysaccharide
N-acetylglucosamine monomers form what chains
Beta C1 to C4 linked chains
Chitin forms what that are similar to those of cellulose
Extended fibers that are similar to cellulose
Can vertebrates digest chitin?
nO
Describe the physical properties of chitin
Tough but flexible and water insoluble
Chitin is found where
cell walls in mushrooms and exoskeletons of insects, spiders, crabs and other arthropods
