Question

Draw a structure of glycogen with two alpha (1>4) linkages and two alpha (1>6) 3 linkages between glucose molecules What advantage does a branched structure have over a straight chain polysaccharide? b. Give the primary location of glycogen in the body.

Answer 1

Here's what I get

Step-by-step explanation:

a. Structure

The structure of glycogen is shown below.

The bonds between the glucose units in the horizontal chain are α(1⟶4) linkages.

The upper glucose units are linked to the main chain by α(1⟶6) linkages.

Enzymes attack the end units of a polysaccharide. The branched structure of glycogen provides more end units, so enzymes can break it down into glucose more quickly.

b. Storage site

The primary site for the storage if glycogen is the liver.

The secondary site is muscle tissue. The concentration of glycogen in the liver is five times that in muscle, but there is more glycogen in muscle because the body has a much greater muscle mass.