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Glycogen (black granules) in spermatozoa of a flatworm; transmission electron microscopy, scale: 0.3 μm. Glycogen is a multibranched polysaccharide of glucose that serves as a form of energy storage in animals, [2] fungi, and bacteria. [3] It is the main storage form of glucose in the human body.
Homopolysaccharides are polysaccharides composed of a single type of sugar monomer. For example, cellulose is an unbranched homopolysaccharide made up of glucose monomers connected via beta-glycosidic linkages; glycogen is a branched form, where the glucose monomers are joined by alpha-glycosidic linkages.
Amylose A is a parallel double-helix of linear chains of glucose. Amylose is made up of α(1→4) bound glucose molecules. The carbon atoms on glucose are numbered, starting at the aldehyde (C=O) carbon, so, in amylose, the 1-carbon on one glucose molecule is linked to the 4-carbon on the next glucose molecule (α(1→4) bonds). [3]
Glycogen is found in the form of granules in the cytosol/cytoplasm in many cell types and plays an important role in the glucose cycle. Glycogen forms an energy reserve that can be quickly mobilized to meet a sudden need for glucose, but one that is less compact and more immediately available as an energy reserve than triglycerides (lipids).
Amylopectin is divided into A and B helical chains of α-glucose. A chains are chains that carry no other chains, resulting in an eventual terminus, whereas B chains are chains that do carry other chains, perpetuating the amylopectin polymer. The ratio between these is usually between 0.8 to 1.4. [9] [10] Cluster model of amylopectin
It consists of two types of molecules: the linear and helical amylose and the branched amylopectin. Depending on the plant, starch generally contains 20 to 25% amylose and 75 to 80% amylopectin by weight. [4] Glycogen, the energy reserve of animals, is a more highly branched version of amylopectin.
A helical shape is seen to be better suited for movement of bacteria in a viscous medium. [37] See also. Bacterial morphological plasticity;
Other uses for α-glucan have been developed based on its availability in bacteria. The accumulation of glycogen Neisseria polysacchera and other bacteria are able to use in α-glucan to catalyze glucose units to form α-1,4-glucan and liberating fructose in the process. To regulate carbohydrate metabolism, more resistant starch was necessary.