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NOTE: Images used in this lecture are taken from “Chemistry – An Introduction to General, Organic and Biological Chemistry”
10th Edition by KC Timberlake. Pearson Publishing.

Carbohydrates (sugars)

NOTE: (Note: drawing the detailed chemical structures shown in the following slides is not
examinable)

The University of Sydney Page 3

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Carbohydrates

• a major energy source via our

diet.

• Contain the elements C, H and O.

ᔥᔄ
• saccharides also means “sugars.”

ᠤᔥ
• Examples: glucose, sucrose,
lactose, starch,ᔥܻ ;ۖᇔႚᔇ
glycogen and
cellulose

Key roles of Carbohydrates

• Metabolic fuel eg glucose is the blood suger

• Storage form of energy as starch in plants and glycogen in aniamls

໐ᔥ
• Essential components of nucleic acids ribose in RNA and 2-deoxy-ribose in DNA

• Mediation of interaction between cells present on the surface of cell membrane

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Types of Carbohydrates

The types of carbohydrates are

- monosaccharides, the simplest carbohydrates.
- disaccharides, consists of two monosaccharides.
- polysaccharides, consists of many monosaccharides.
࿜ᥴ

Monosaccharides

• 3-6 carbon atoms typically.

• a carbonyl group
• several hydroxyl groups.

The number of carbons in a sugar determines which size

group of sugars it belongs to:

5 carbons: pentose ౨ᔥ
6 carbons: hexose ૩ᔥ

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 Important Monosaccharides

• Glucose
• Galactose ܎ԥᔥ
• Fructose ຎᔥ

• Molecular formula same formula

C6H12O6

Glucose

• found in fruits and honey

• has the formula C6H12O6.

• Main sugar that’s found in

blood of our bodies – the
blood sugar

• Energy fuel – a key

component of our cell
metabolism

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Glucose

– the cyclic form of glucose is predominant in our bodies

O
C H
H C OH
HO C H
HO
H C H
OH
H C OH
Glucose
CH2OH
Glucose 99% of glucose exists in cyclic form

Blood Glucose Level

In the body,
• glucose has a normal blood level of 70.0-90.0 mg/dL.
‫ل‬૧
• a glucose tolerance test measures blood glucose for several
hours after ingesting glucose.

ṛᤅᔥ

֗ᤅᔥ

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Galactose

• Has the formula C6H12O6.

• has a different structure to
glucose
• is not found free in nature.
• is a part of lactose, a
disaccharide.

Galactose

Fructose

• Has the formula C6H12O6.

• is the sweetest carbohydrate.
• is found in fruit juices and
honey.
• has a different structure to
glucose.
• converts to glucose in the H
body. H

Fructose

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Types of Carbohydrates

The types of carbohydrates are

• monosaccharides, the simplest carbohydrates.
• disaccharides, consists of two monosaccharides.
• polysaccharides, consists of many monosaccharides.

Important Disaccharides

A disaccharide consists of two monosaccharides.

Disaccharides Monosaccharide
maltose + H2O glucose + glucose
lactose + H2O glucose + galactose
sucrose + H2O glucose + fructose

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 Maltose

• a disaccharide also known as malt sugar.

• composed of 2 glucose molecules.

ᔥ᝗Ძ
• linked by a glycosidic bond
ᨕᇔ ᯦᭜
• used in cereals, sweets, and brewing beer!

http://www.nutrientsreview.com/carbs/disaccharides-sucrose.html

Lactose

• is a disaccharide of galactose and glucose.

• Joined together by a glycosidic bond.

• is found in milk and milk products.

Image: https://www.scienceabc.com/humans/what-is-lactose-intolerance-signs-symptoms-lactase-enzyme.html

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 Sucrose

Sucrose or table sugar

• is obtained from sugar cane.
• consists of glucose and fructose.
• Joined by a glycosidic bond.

Image: http://www.nutrientsreview.com/carbs/disaccharides-sucrose.html

Types of Carbohydrates

The types of carbohydrates are

- monosaccharides, the simplest carbohydrates.
- disaccharides, consists of two monosaccharides.
- polysaccharides, consists of many monosaccharides.

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Polysaccharides

- are polymers of glucose.

Important Examples:

- cellulose (in plants and wood),

glucose
- starch (eg potatoes, pasta)

- glycogen (in humans – our main storage form of glucose)

Cellulose - found in plants

• is a polymer of glucose units in

unbranched chains.

• All linked by glycosidic bonds.

• Body unable to digest

• Is the ‘fibre’ component of

diet

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Starch

Starch (amylopectin) is
• a polymer glucose molecules.

• Forms a continuous chain

(branched and unbranched).

• All linked glycosidic bonds.

Glycogen (made in our bodies!)

• the STORAGE molecule of glucose

• Structure is a polymer of glucose (polysaccharide)

• is similar to starch in potatoes but is more highly branched.

• Broken down to glucose via process glycogenesis - part of

glucose homeostasis
֛ٖଘᤍ

• Approx. 350g of glycogen in the body (liver and muscle)

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 ᔥᚇ
Glycolipids and Glycoproteins

Glycolipids
• Complex lipids that contain carbohydrates

Glycoproteins
• Complex proteins that contain carbohydrates

Plasma Membrane Structure

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Plasma Membrane Structure
Figure 8.6 The detailed structure of an animal cell’s plasma membrane, in cross section

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