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Bio-chemistry 4 min read 702 words 7 sentences 9th

Biochemistry Fundamentals: Carbohydrates & Macromolecules

M Usman Jun 02, 2026
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📋 CARBOHYDRATE STRUCTURES · COPYABLE DIAGRAMS

Fischer projections · Haworth rings · Glycosidic bonds · Polysaccharides · All text‑based & SVG (select, copy, paste)

01ALDOHEXOSES & KETOHEXOSES – Fischer & Haworth (copyable)

D-Glucose (Aldohexose)

C₆H₁₂O₆ · [α] +52.7° (equilibrium)
CHO | H—C—OH | HO—C—H | H—C—OH | H—C—OH | CH₂OH
Fischer projection (open chain)
α-D-glucopyranose β-D-glucopyranose CH₂OH CH₂OH | | O C OH O C OH \ | / \ | / \ | / \ | / C OH C OH /| \ /| \ / | \ / | \ O | OH O | OH | | OH OH (OH at C1 down) (OH at C1 up)
Haworth pyranose forms · anomers α (OH axial down) / β (OH equatorial up)

D-Fructose (Ketohexose)

C₆H₁₂O₆ · sweetest natural sugar
CH₂OH | C=O | HO—C—H | H—C—OH | H—C—OH | CH₂OH β-D-fructofuranose (5‑membered ring) CH₂OH | O C \ | \ \ | CH₂OH C /| \ / | \ O | OH | OH
Furanose ring (fructofuranose) · ketone at C2

D-Galactose (C4 epimer of glucose)

C₆H₁₂O₆ · lactose component
CHO | H—C—OH | HO—C—H | HO—C—H ← OH on left at C4 (difference from glucose) | H—C—OH | CH₂OH
Epimer at carbon 4 → different spatial arrangement
02PENTOSES · DEOXYRIBOSE · AMINO SUGARS

D-Ribose (RNA)

C₅H₁₀O₅
CHO | H—C—OH | H—C—OH | H—C—OH | CH₂OH

2-Deoxy-D-ribose (DNA)

C₅H₁₀O₄
CHO | H—C—H ← missing –OH at C2 | H—C—OH | H—C—OH | CH₂OH

Glucosamine & N-Acetylglucosamine

Glucosamine: N-Acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc): CHO CHO | | H—C—NH₂ H—C—NH—COCH₃ | | HO—C—H HO—C—H | | H—C—OH H—C—OH | | H—C—OH H—C—OH | | CH₂OH CH₂OH
Amino group at C2 → chitin, glycoproteins, cartilage
03DISACCHARIDES – Glycosidic bonds & reducing ends

Maltose · α(1→4)

C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ · reducing sugar
Glcα1Glc→4reducing end (C1 free)
Maltose = α-D-Glcp-(1→4)-α-D-Glcp (Glucose₁) α1→4 (Glucose₂)

Lactose · β(1→4)

C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ · milk sugar
Lactose = β-D-Galp-(1→4)-α-D-Glcp Galactose (β) → Glucose (α)
Cleaved by lactase → glucose + galactose

Sucrose · α(1↔2)β · NON-REDUCING

C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ · table sugar
Sucrose = α-D-Glcp-(1↔2)-β-D-Fruf Both anomeric carbons linked → no free aldehyde/ketone Hydrolysis: Sucrose + H₂O → Glucose + Fructose (invert sugar)
04POLYSACCHARIDES · STARCH · GLYCOGEN · CELLULOSE · CHITIN

Amylose (starch) · α(1→4) helix

Glc —α1→4— Glc —α1→4— Glc —α1→4— Glc —α1→4— Glc (unbranched, helical, iodine deep blue)

Amylopectin (branched starch)

┌── Glc (α1→6 branch point) Glc—Glc—Glc—Glc—Glc—Glc—Glc │ └── Glc—Glc—Glc (Branches every 24-30 residues via α1→6)

Glycogen (animal starch)

┌── Glc Glc—Glc—Glc—Glc—Glc │ └── Glc—Glc └── Glc—Glc (branches every 8–12 glucose units) Highly compact → rapid energy release

Cellulose · β(1→4) linear fibrils

Glc—β1→4—Glc—β1→4—Glc—β1→4—Glc (each glucose rotated 180°, extensive H‑bonds) Indigestible by humans (no cellulase)

Chitin · β(1→4) N-acetylglucosamine

GlcNAc—β1→4—GlcNAc—β1→4—GlcNAc (structural exoskeleton, fungal cell walls)
05STEREOCHEMISTRY · ANOMERS · EPIMERS · REDUCING SUGARS

α / β anomers of D-glucose

α-D-glucopyranose: OH at C1 is DOWN (axial) [α] +112° β-D-glucopyranose: OH at C1 is UP (equatorial) [α] +18.7° Equilibrium mixture: 36% α, 64% β → [α] +52.7° (mutarotation)

Common epimers of glucose

Glucose (C2 OH right, C4 OH right) Mannose (C2 epimer: OH at C2 left) Galactose (C4 epimer: OH at C4 left)

Reducing vs Non‑reducing sugars

REDUCING: free anomeric carbon (aldehyde or α‑hydroxyketone) → positive Benedict's / Fehling's test Examples: Glucose, Fructose, Maltose, Lactose, Galactose NON-REDUCING: both anomeric carbons involved in glycosidic bond Examples: Sucrose, Trehalose
06METABOLIC PATHWAYS · VITAMIN C · CLINICAL

Aerobic glucose oxidation

C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6 O₂ → 6 CO₂ + 6 H₂O + ~30–32 ATP Glycolysis (2 ATP + 2 NADH) Pyruvate → Acetyl-CoA (2 NADH) TCA cycle (2 ATP + 6 NADH + 2 FADH₂) Oxidative phosphorylation: 1 NADH ≈ 2.5 ATP, 1 FADH₂ ≈ 1.5 ATP

L-Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)

O=C / \ HO-C C-OH | | HO-C C=O \ / C—OH | CH₂OH (C₆H₈O₆ · carbohydrate-derived lactone)
Antioxidant · Collagen hydroxylation · Prevents scurvy

Sucrose inversion · Optical rotation

Sucrose [α] +66.5° → Hydrolysis → Glucose (+52.7°) + Fructose (–92°) Net rotation: –20° (levorotatory) → "Invert sugar"
07GLYCOCALYX · BLOOD GROUP ANTIGENS · RECOGNITION

ABO blood group determinants

Type O: H antigen (Fucose α1→2 Gal) Type A: H antigen + N‑acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) α1→3 Gal Type B: H antigen + D‑Galactose α1→3 Gal
Terminal sugar residues define blood type compatibility

Glycocalyx (cell coat)

Plasma membrane → glycolipids & glycoproteins Oligosaccharide chains → cell adhesion, immune recognition, protection Example: Selectins bind to sialyl Lewis X antigen

Clinical correlations

Lactose intolerance: lactase deficiency → bloating/diarrhea Diabetes mellitus: hyperglycemia, HbA1c test Glycogen storage disease: von Gierke (G6Pase deficiency) Scurvy: vitamin C deficiency → impaired collagen
08SUGAR DERIVATIVES · URONIC ACIDS · ALDITOLS · DEOXY SUGARS

Uronic acids (Glucuronic acid)

Oxidation at C6: –CH₂OH → –COOH D-Glucuronic acid: key for detoxification (glucuronidation), GAG component

Alditols (sugar alcohols)

Glucose → Sorbitol (used in sugar-free products) Xylose → Xylitol (anticariogenic sweetener) Mannose → Mannitol (diuretic, osmotic agent)

Deoxy sugars & rare sugars

L-Fucose (6-deoxy-L-galactose): blood group antigens L-Rhamnose (6-deoxy-L-mannose): plant polysaccharides
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