draw a glycogen that contains alpha 1,4 and alpha 1,6 glycosidic bonds.
please could someone point me in the right direction.
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/biology/bio4fv/page/1-6branch2.JPG
thanks very much
Of course! I can help you understand how to draw a glycogen molecule that contains both alpha 1,4 and alpha 1,6 glycosidic bonds.
Glycogen is a complex carbohydrate, often referred to as a polysaccharide, that serves as the primary storage form of glucose in animals. It consists of multiple glucose subunits linked together via glycosidic bonds.
To create a glycogen molecule, you will need to understand the structure of individual glucose molecules and how the glycosidic bonds are formed.
1. Start by drawing a simple glucose molecule. It has a ring structure with six carbon atoms (labeled C1 to C6), and the oxygen atom (O) forms a bond with the C1.
O
|
- C1
| \
C2 - C3
| \
C4 - C5
\
C6
2. Next, identify the alpha 1,4 glycosidic bond. This bond forms between the C1 of one glucose molecule and the C4 of another glucose molecule. It results in the formation of a linear chain of glucose molecules.
3. Draw another glucose molecule, aligning it in a way that the C1 of this molecule is bonded to the C4 of the previous glucose molecule in the chain. Continue this process, extending the chain by adding more glucose molecules and connecting them via alpha 1,4 glycosidic bonds.
4. Now, introduce the alpha 1,6 glycosidic bond. This bond occurs between the C1 of a glucose molecule in the linear chain and the C6 of another glucose molecule. It generates branches in the glycogen molecule.
5. To create a glycogen molecule with branches, draw another glucose molecule, but this time, connect it to the linear chain using an alpha 1,6 glycosidic bond. This creates a branch because the glucose molecule you added is not in line with the rest of the linear chain.
6. Continue extending the chain and introducing branches as necessary, making sure to connect the new glucose molecules via alpha 1,4 glycosidic bonds within the linear chain and alpha 1,6 glycosidic bonds to create branches.
Note that glycogen molecules can have multiple branches, allowing for efficient storage and release of glucose when needed in the body.
I hope this explanation helps you draw a glycogen molecule containing both alpha 1,4 and alpha 1,6 glycosidic bonds!