Amylopectin storage

As described earlier in this book, the dendritic architecture is perhaps one of the most pervasive topologies observed at the macro and micro-dimensional length scales (i.e. jum-m). At the nanoscale (molecular) level there are relatively few natural examples of this architecture. Most notable are probably the glycogen and amylopectin hyperbranched structures that Nature uses for energy storage. 

While starch is the major structural polysaccharide, plant energy storage and regulation utilize a combination of similar polysaccharides that are referred to as starch. Starch can be divided into two general structures, largely linear amylose (structure 9.17) and largely branched amylopectin (structure 9.18). 

Glycogen is the main storage polysaccharide of animal cells. Like amylopectin, glycogen is a polymer of (a 1—>4)-linked subunits of glucose, with (a 1 >6)-linked branches, but glycogen is more extensively branched (on average, every 8 to 12 residues) and more compact than starch. Glycogen is especially abundant in the liver,... 

Starch Amylose Amylopectin Homo- Homo- (al—>4)Glc, linear (al—>4)Glc, with (a 1—>6)Glc branches every 24-30 residues 50-5,000 Up to 106 Energy storage in plants... 

---