Cellulose: Difference between revisions

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Karsten Theis (talk | contribs)
Karsten Theis (talk | contribs)
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==Structure==
==Structure==
<StructureSection load='' size='340' side='right' scene='82/824000/Cellobiose/4'>
<StructureSection load='' size='340' side='right' scene='82/824000/Cellobiose/4'>
Glucose, the building block of cellulose and starch, can form six-membered rings with two distinct stereoisomers called the alpha and beta anomer. The only difference between alpha and beta glucose is at carbon C1. The [[disaccharides|disaccharide]] cellobiose  (reload <scene name='82/824000/Cellobiose/4'>initial scene</scene>) is a breakdown product of cellulose which shows the beta 1,4 linkage between two glucose molecules also present in cellulose. "beta 1,4" refers to a glycosidic link between the anomeric carbon (<jmol><jmolLink><script> select 823.C1; selectionHalos ON; delay 0.5;selectionHalos OFF;</script><text>☼</text></jmolLink> </jmol>) in beta configuration of one glucose molecule with carbon 4 (<jmol><jmolLink><script> select 823.C4'; selectionHalos ON; delay 0.5;selectionHalos OFF;</script><text>☼</text></jmolLink> </jmol>) of the other glucose molecule. In contrast, starches (specifically the linear form amylose) can be broken down to [[disaccharides|maltose]], a stereoisomer of cellobiose showing an alpha 1,4 linkage. Thus, it is the type of glycosidic linkage that distinguishes cellulose from starches at the molecular level.
Glucose, the building block of cellulose and starch, can form six-membered rings with two distinct stereoisomers called the alpha and beta anomer. The only difference between alpha and beta glucose is at carbon C1. The [[disaccharides|disaccharide]] cellobiose  (reload <scene name='82/824000/Cellobiose/4'>initial scene</scene>) is a breakdown product of cellulose which shows the beta 1,4 linkage between two glucose molecules also present in cellulose. "beta 1,4" refers to a glycosidic link between the anomeric carbon (<jmol><jmolLink><script> select 823.C1; selectionHalos ON; delay 0.5;selectionHalos OFF;</script><text>☼</text></jmolLink> </jmol>) in beta configuration of one glucose molecule with carbon 4 (<jmol><jmolLink><script> select 823.C4'; selectionHalos ON; delay 0.5;selectionHalos OFF;</script><text>☼</text></jmolLink> </jmol>) of the other glucose molecule. In contrast, starches (specifically the linear form amylose) can be broken down to [[disaccharides|maltose]], a stereoisomer of cellobiose showing an alpha 1,4 linkage. Thus, it is the type of glycosidic linkage that distinguishes cellulose from starches at the molecular level.


Longer chains of beta 1,4 linked glucoses are found in cellulose. When cellulose is synthesized, these chains are made individually (cellulose chain during <scene name='82/824000/Cellulose/2'>biosynthesis</scene>). Again, the linkages are all of the beta 1,4 type (<jmol><jmolLink><script> select *.C1; selectionHalos ON; delay 0.5;selectionHalos OFF;</script><text>☼</text></jmolLink> </jmol>). In this structure, monomers are added to polymer chain inside the cell and secreted through the membrane, surrounded by the <scene name='82/824000/Cellulose/4'>enzyme</scene> throughout.
Longer chains of beta 1,4 linked glucoses are found in cellulose. When cellulose is synthesized, these chains are made individually (cellulose chain during <scene name='82/824000/Cellulose/2'>biosynthesis</scene>). Again, the linkages are all of the beta 1,4 type (<jmol><jmolLink><script> select *.C1; selectionHalos ON; delay 0.5;selectionHalos OFF;</script><text>☼</text></jmolLink> </jmol>). In this structure, monomers are added to polymer chain inside the cell and secreted through the membrane, surrounded by the <scene name='82/824000/Cellulose/4'>enzyme</scene> throughout.