GLYCOGENOLYSI

S
 THIS IMAGE SHOWS THE
S T R U C T U R E O F G LYC O G E N .

THE CENTER STRUCTURE IS

T H E P R O T E I N G LYC O G E N I N ,
W H I L E T H E B RA N C H E S A R E
C H A I N S O F G LU C O S E .

A SINGLE MOLECULE OF
G LYC O G E N C A N C O N TA I N A S
MANY AS 30,000 UNITS OF
STARCH G LU C O S E L I N K E D T O G E T H E R .
W H AT I S G LYC O G E N O LY S I S ?

Glycogenolysis can be defined as the

breakdown of glycogen to produce
glucose by Phosphorylase enzyme which
can be found in the liver or muscles.
 Where does the
process happen? Why does it happen?
G LYC O G E N O LY S I S   TA K E S
LO W B LO O D S U G A R L E V E L S
PLACE IN THE CELLS OF T R I G G E R S T H E I N I T I AT I O N O F
MUSCLE AND LIVER G LYC O G E N O LY S I S W I T H H E
TISSUES IN RESPONSE TO H E L P O F 2 H O R M O N E S N A M E LY
H O R M O N A L A N D N E U RA L G LU C A G O N A N D E P I N E P H R I N E .
SIGNALS.
 Glycogenolysis
PATHWAY

Und e rstand ing G ly co g e no lysis p athway is

sim pl e when y ou know that G ly co g en is a
hig hly b ranche d co mp o und m ad e up o f
g lucose re sid ues
Glycogen breakdown will require
breaking and debranching the
glucose residues . There is an
enzyme responsible for
debranching glycogen and it is
called Debranching enzyme
(Glucan transferase).
 Each enzyme of glycogenolysis
has its use and ability to break a
s p e c i fi c t y p e o f b o n d .

Phosphorylase enzyme can only

break alpha 1,4 glucosidic bonds
while Glucosidase enzyme can
only break alpha 1,6 glucosidic
bonds.
 Glycogenolysis
PATHWAY

T h e g l y c o g e n b r a n c h e s a re a t t a c h e d t h ro u g h
b o n d s ( l i n k s ) . T h e s e l i n k s a re c a l l e d a l p h a
glucosidic bonds.

T h e l i n k s a re n a m e d a c c o rd i n g t o t h e c a r b o n
n u m b e r.

-(1,4) glucosidic bond means that C1 of one

g l u c o s e re s i d u e i s j o i n e d t o C 4 o f a n o t h e r
g l u c o s e re s i d u e b y a l p h a g l u c o s i d i c b o n d s ; w h i l e
-(1,6)-glucosidic bond means that C1 of one
glucose is joined to C6 of another glucose
re s i d u e b y a l p h a b o n d s .
 STEP 1:
PHOSPHORYL ASE STEP
STEP 1: PHOSPHORYLASE ENZYME
PHOSPHORYL ASE STEP
• The action of phosphorylase is to phosphorolytically
,-(1,4) bond
remove single glucose residues from 𝛼-(1,4)-  
This process
• Glucose called Phosphorolysis continues
1-phosphate produced by the action until
of ,-(1,4)
  bond
linkages within the glycogen molecule (this reaction
four glucose residues remain on either side of ,-(1,4)
  bond
phosphorylase
produces is converted
glucose to glucose 6-
1-phosphate).
branching point (alpha-1,6-glycosidic bond).
phosphate by phosphoglucomutase enzyme.
Glycogen phosphorylase cannot remove glucose
The glycogen so formed is known as limit
residues from the branch points of 𝛼-1,6 linkages
dextrin which can not be further degraded by  ,-(1,6) bond
in glycogen, hence another enzyme has to
phosphorylase.
takeover.
 STEP 2:
GLUCAN TRANSFERASE STEP
STEP 2:
GLUCAN TRANSFERASE STEP
• After the activity of phosphorylase, there will be 4 GLUCAN
glucose residues left from the branch point and TRANSFERASE
• The
The remaining glucose
transferase residues
activity, are removed
whenever it byaa
removes
another enzyme will continue the breakdown.
debranching
glucose enzyme
residue, calleditGlucan
will attach transferase
to a free C4 end of a
which can act as a glucotransferase
second branch. and also as a
glucosidase. The transferase activity removes 3
more glucose residues from the remaining 4 ,-(1,6)
  bond

(leaving behind 1 residue which is the residue

attached by alpha 1,6 glucosidic bond).
 STEP 3:
GLUCOSIDASE STEP

• The remaining glucose residue (which is the last of

GLUCAN
branch) has 𝛼-(1,6)-linkage at the branch this is GLUCOSIDASE

then removed by the action of glucosidase as free

glucose.

,-(1,6)
  bond
 SOURCES https://www.biochemden.com/glycogenoly
sis/

https://www.jotscroll.com/forums/11/po
https://www.checkdiabetes.org/glycoge
sts/277/glycogenolysis-definition-
nolysis/
glycogen-breakdown-meaning-
https://www.youtube.com/watch? pathway-steps.html
v=YQV_ODVCzQQ&t=442s

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/m
edicine-and-dentistry/glycogenolysis?
https://www.britannica.com/science/gly
fbclid=IwAR0lGMexGyEmjMxOSIoJcrXkU
cogenolysis
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