Self-reflection carbohydrate (Qila)

Self-  reflection: carbohydrate

On 25 November 2019,  we have learned about carbohydrate. As we know, carbohydrate is a really important component that a human need for their cell to continue their function efficiently. Carbohydrates are the most abundant molecules on earth. 

For human, carbohydrate can be consumed by the intake of food that rich with carbohydrate such as potato and bread but for plant carbohydrate can be produce through carbon dioxide fixation in photosynthesis. The formula for carbohydrate is Cn(H2O)n where n must be more than 3. 

The basic unit of carbohydrates known as monosaccharides. As example, glucose and fructose. This two are the common monosaccharides for carbohydrates. Monosaccharides demonstrates stereochemistry which are chiral (assymmetrical). Monosaccharides exhibits enantiomers (mirror image), diastereomers (not mirror image) and epimers (differ and 1 carbon) and polysaccharides. The polymers of monosaccharides are polysaccharides.

Carbohydrates structure usually be presented as Fisher projection due to it’s fish bone structure like and Haworth projection due to it’s cyclic rings form. It’s started from Fisher shape then the monosaccharides will undergo structural changes to Haworth projection. After that, it will transform to pyranose or furanose shape due to the binding site of the glucose at the cell wall is in the pyranose or furanose shape.

Due to the -OH, aldehyde and ketone groups, sugars are easily derivatized. Several derivatizations of sugars include reduction and esterification. 

Function of carbohydrate is energy storage (glycogen and starch), structural component         (cellulose and chitin), cellular recognition (glycoprotein and glycolipids) and carbohydrates derivatives (DNA and RNA).

2-10 monosaccharides that are joined together via O-glycosidic bonds where the anomeric carbon link to the -OR group. Carbohydrates which the -OH of the anomeric carbon replaced by -OR. It will change from furanose to furanosides. Glycosides form between two monosaccharides known as disaccharides. 

For polysaccharides there are two types which are homopolysaccharides (1 type of monomers) and heteropolysaccharides (different types of monomers). Example for homopolysaccharides are glycogen and starch while for heteropolysaccharides are hemicellulose and peptidoglycans.

Functions of polysaccharides are storage (glycogen in animals), structure (cellulose and chitin) and information (cell surface oligo- and polysaccharides on proteins).

Third type of carbohydrates are starch. Starch is a food reserve in plants. It was made from alpha D-glucose units. There are two types of starch which are amylose (alpha 1-4 linked glucose) and amylopectin (alpha 1-4 and alpha 1-6 linked glucose). Amylose is a linear structure while amylopectin is a branched structure.

Other than that, glycogen is also one of the carbohydrates components. It is a storage polysaccharides in animals. Glycogen is a branched polymer of alpha 1-4 and alpha 1-6 linked glucose. While cellulose a homopolymer linear chain with beta 1-4 linked D-glucose units. The main component of the cell wall of fungi and exoskeleton of arthropods is known as chitin. This homopolymers of beta 1-4 linked N-acetylglucosamine residues.

For this class, I have learn a lot of new information about carbohydrate like it’s structure, types of carbohydrate and it’s function to our body. Through this knowledge I can use it to improve my daily life routine to become more healthy and energetic.