This lecture series will cover:

1. The structure and function of monosaccharides and polysaccharides

 

Carbohydrates are complex organic molecules formed from carbon dioxide and water which are used as a source of chemical energy by living organisms. They are hydrated carbons and have the empirical formula (CH2O)n where n is 3 or more.

 

Types of carbohydrates:

• Monosaccharides (simple sugars)

• Disaccharides (two sugar units)

• Oligosaccharides (less than 20 residues)

• Polysaccharides (hundreds of monosaccharides)

 

Glucose:

• 6 carbon sugar 

• It has four chiral carbon centres so has 16 possible isomers 

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Polysaccharides:

• Lots of variation in types of monosaccharides involves, chain length, types of bonds and degree of branching

• Identical monosaccharides are homopolymers

• Variable monosaccharides are heteropolymers