BIOCHEMISTR

Y:
CARBOHYDRATES
 BIOCHEMISTRY
Biochemistry is the branch of science that explores the chemical processes within and related
to living organisms.

Biochemistry focuses on processes happening at a molecular level. It focuses on what’s

happening inside our cells, studying components like proteins, lipids and organelles.

The term biochemistry is synonymous with two somewhat older terms: physiological
chemistry and biological chemistry. Those aspects of biochemistry that deal with the
chemistry and function of very large molecules (e.g., proteins and nucleic acids) are often
grouped under the term molecular biology. Biochemistry is a young science, having been
known under that term only since about 1900. Its origins, however, can be traced much
further back; its early history is part of the early history of both physiology and chemistry.
 What is Carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are made of building blocks of sugars, and can be classified

according to how many sugar units are combined in their molecule.
Carbohydrates are the most abundant bio-macro-molecules on the earth. They are
commonly known as sugars because most of them have a sweet taste. Chemically
all carbohydrates are polyhydroxy (contain many hydroxyl, – OH, groups)
aldehydes or ketones. All carbohydrates are hydrates of carbon and they contain
C, H and O.
Glucose, fructose and galactose are examples of single-unit
sugars, also known as monosaccharides.
Double-unit sugars are called disaccharides, among which
sucrose (table sugar) and lactose (milk sugar) are most
widely known.
 Three Major Categories of Carbohydrates:

● MONOSACCHARIDES
● OLIGOSACCHARIDES
● POLYSACCHARIDES
 Monosaccharides
Also called simple sugars, are the basic unit of
carbohydrates. They are the fundamental unit
Of carbohydrates and they cannot be further hydrolyzed to
yield smaller carbohydrate unit.
• All monosaccharides consists of a single polyhydroxy
aldehyde or ketone unit.
• Most of the monosaccharides have the empirical formula
C(H2O)n.
• Exists as colorless, crystalline, and water soluble solids.
Number of carbon atoms:
• The monosaccharides may be triose (3C), tetrose (4C), pentose (5C), or
hexose (6C).

The scientific nomenclature of monosaccharides is very complex.

However, the common names of the monosaccharides end with suffix
“ose”. The most abundant monosaccharides in the nature is a
six carbon sugar called glucose.
Examples of Monosaccharides:
• 3 Carbon – Dihydroxy
acetone
• 4 Carbon – Erythrose
• 5 Carbon – Ribose
• 6 Carbon – Glucose,
Fructose
Glucose and Fructose are
monosaccharides that can be
fruits, vegetables, honey, and
also in food products like
glucose-fructose syrup.
 Examples of Disaccharides:

• Table sugar or sucrose is a disaccharide of glucose and fructose, and occurs

naturally in sugar beet, sugar cane, and fruits.
• Lactose, a disaccharide consisting of glucose and galactose, is the main
carbohydrate in milk and dairy products.
• Maltose is a glucose disaccharide found in malt and starch derived syrup.
 Polyols
• Or so-called sugar alcohols, are also sweet and can be used in foods in similar
way to sugars, but have lower calorie content compared to normal table sugar.

Examples of Polyols:
• Sorbitol is the most commonly used polyol in foods and drinks, while
xylitol is frequently used in chewing gums and mints. Isomalt is a
polyol produced from sucrose, often used in confectionery.
 Oligosaccharides
The oligosaccharides are sugar polymers consist of short
chains of monosaccharide units (residues). The
monosaccharide units in the polysaccharide chain are
linked through a Characteristics bond called glycosidic
bond.

• The number of monomer units in the oligosaccharides

usually range from 2- 20.
• All oligosaccharides on hydrolysis yield individual
monosaccharide units due to the
cleavage of the glycosic bond.
A disaccharide consists of two monosaccharides units. The
most abundant naturally occurring disaccharide is sucrose
(table sugar). Sucrose consist of a glucose residue and a
fructose residue connected through α-1-2 glycosidic linkage.
Oligosaccharides with three or more monosaccharide units do
not occur freely in the nature. They are usually found
associated with non-sugar molecules such as proteins and
lipids as glycol conjugates ( Glycoproteins, Proteoglycans
and Glycolipids).
Examples of Oligosaccharides:
a. Sucrose: a disaccharide of glucose and fructose
b. Lactose: a disaccharide of galactose and glucose
c. Maltose: a disaccharide of two glucose residues
d. Trehalose: a disaccharide of two alpha linked glucose residues
e. Raffinose: a trisaccharide of galactose, glucose, and fructose
 Polysaccharides

They are complex sugar polymers with more than 20

monosaccharide units. Most of the naturally occurring
polysaccharides have more than 1000 monosaccharide units.

• Polysaccharides on hydrolysis release the individual

building monosaccharide units.
• Some polysaccharide chain are un-branched while some
other as heavily branched.
Polysaccharides are further classified into two categories
based on its composition of monosaccharides residue in the
chain. They are:

• Homopolysaccharides: They composed of only a single

type of monosaccharide unit.
• Heteropolysaccharides: They composed of more than one
type of monosaccharide units.
 Examples of Polysaccharides:

• Homopolysaccharides: Starch, Glycogen and • Heteropolysaccharides:

Cellulose ( monosaccharide units in all three are Peptidogglycan, Chondroitin,
glucose) Heparin
 Biological significance/
Functions of Carbohydrates
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