Glucose chain

There are two types of glucose chains in starch. One is a simple chain called amylose, and the other is a complex branched form called amylopectin. In the starch grains in a plant, amylopectin makes up the bulk of the material, from 50 to 80 percent by weight, made up of several million amylopectin molecules per starch grain. The rest is a much larger number of the smaller amylose chains, made up of 500 to 20,000 glucose units in each chain. Amylopectin molecules are made of several million glucose units. 

Glycogen synthase forms the O -1,4 glycosidic bond found in the linear glucose chains of the granule. Table 1-14-1 shows the control of glycogen synthase in liver and skeletal muscle. 

Amylopectin Amylopectin is similar to amylose except that the glucose chain has branches. These branches involve linkages at the -CH2OH position ( 6), which makes them a 1 —> 6 linkages. Amylopectin is water-soluble it also interacts with iodine to form a reddish-purple complex. Typically, amylopectin is ten times the size of an amylose molecule. Digestion requires (3-amylase (1 4 linkages) and a second... 

Eisenberg, F., Bolden, A.H., and Loewus, F.A., 1964, Inositol formation by cyclization of glucose chain in rat testis. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 14 419-424. 

Xanthan Made primarily of linear glucose chain with side chains based on mannose and glucuronic acid residues A microbial gum made by glucose fermentation, forms viscous pseudoplastic solutions Emulsifying or suspending agent, particularly in toothpaste and ointments... 

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