Session 4 Lecture Notes Flashcards
Approximately what is the plasma constant level for glucose?
5mmol per L
What is the store of glucose called?
Glycogen
For hypoglycaemia what is the critical level - if our plasma level drops below this it can lead to death?
0.6mmol/L
What happens in glycation?
There is the addition of glucose to proteins such as the haemoglobin protein
Where is glycogen stored? (there are 2 places)
- In the muscle= to supply the muscles only with glucose
2. In the liver = to supply the rest of the body
What are 2 benefits of storing glycogen?
- Glucose can be released rapidly from multiple sites along the polymer
- There is reduced osmotic effect by storing it as one molecule rather than multiple glucose molecules
Which bonds join chains of glucose in glycogen?
a-1-4 glycosidic bonds
Which bonds form branch points every 8-10 residues in the glycogen polymer?
a-1-6 glycosidic bonds
What is the name of the dimer at the core of the glycogen polymer?
Glycogenin
Why can’t cellulose be broken down?
Because it contains b-1-4 glycosidic bonds (not a-1-4 like in glycogen) and we don’t have the enzymes for beta
What is glycogen synthesis called?
Glycogenesis
What is the first conversion step of glycogenesis?
Glucose 6-P (from glycolysis) is converted to Glucose 1-P by the enzyme Phosphoglucomutase
What is the 2nd conversion step in glycogenesis?
Glucose 1-P + UTP + H20 is converted to UDP-glucose + 2Pi by the enzyme G1P uridyltransferase
What is the final step in glycogenesis?
Glycogen (with its residues) reacts with UDP-glucose to form [Glycogen + 1 residue of glucose] + UDP
This reaction is catalysed by the two enzymes that create glycosidic bonds (a-1-4 and a-1-6) = glycogen synthase and branching enzyme
What enzymes synthesise a-1-4 and a-1-6 bonds in glycogenesis?
- glycogen synthase (a-1-4)
2. branching enzyme (a-1-6)
What is glycogen degradation called?
Glycogenolysis
What is the first step in glycogenolysis?
Glycogen + Pi = Glucose 1-P and [glycogen -1 residue of glucose]
What are the 2 enzymes called involved in breaking down glycosidic bonds in glycogen?
- Glycogen phosphorylase (a-1-4)
2. De-branching enzyme (a-1-6)
What is the 2nd step in glycogenolysis?
Glucose 1-P is converted to Glucose 6-P by phosphoglucomutase where it is transported to the muscles or liver
What happens to Glucose 6-P in the liver (after glycogenolysis)?
Glucose 6-P is converted
to glucose by the enzyme Glucose 6-Phosphatase and glucose then transported around the blood to tissues
What happens to Glucose 6-P in the muscles (after glycogenolysis)?
It is converted to lactate and then transported back to the liver for conversion to glucose
The muscles lack the enzyme glucose 6-phosphatase so can’t break glucose 6-P directly down into glucose
What are the rate limiting enzymes in glycogenesis and glycogenolysis?
- Glycogen synthase
2. Glycogen phosphorylase
What hormones increase rate of glycogenesis and which increase rate of glycogenolysis?
Insulin = increase rate of glycogenesis (glycogen synthesis)
Glucagon + adrenaline = increase rate of glycogenolysis (glycogen degradation)
Glucagon can only act at one place to to increase glycogenolysis- where?
At the liver
It has no effect at muscles
Instead AMP allosterically activates it at muscles