2. Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are aldehyde or ketone compounds with multiple hydroxyl
groups.
They make up most of the organic matter on Earth and play extensive roles in
all forms of life
They serve as energy stores, fuels, & metabolic intermediates
Ribose & deoxyribose sugars form part of the structural framework of RNA &
DNA
Polysaccharides are structural elements in the cell walls of bacteria and plants.
Cellulose is the most abundant organic compound in the biosphere.
Carbohydrates are linked to many proteins and lipids
key role in mediating interactions among cells and with other elements
3. Monosaccharides
Simplest carbohydrates
Aldehydes or ketones with two or more hydroxyl groups
Empirical formula, (C-H2O)n, literally a “carbon hydrate”
Important fuel molecules as well as building blocks for nucleic acid
Smallest monosaccharides are trioses (n = 3)
Glyceraldehyde has
1 asymmetric C
2 stereoisomers of Glyceraldehyde
•(D- & L-)
•are enantiomers (mirror images of each other)
4. Monosaccharides
Monosaccharides (simple sugar molecules) can be
classified according to the number of carbon atoms in the
chain. Those most commonly found in humans include the
following:
– 3 carbons: trioses (e.g., glyceraldehyde)
– 4 carbons: tetroses (e.g., erythrose)
– 5 carbons: pentoses (e.g., ribose, ribulose, xylose, xylulose)
– 6 carbons: hexoses (e.g., glucose, galactose, mannose, fructose)
5. Stereoisomers
Stereoisomers are isomeric molecules that have
Same molecular formula and sequence of bonded atoms (constitution)
But which differ only in the three-dimensional orientations of their atoms
in space
Two types
Enantiomers
Diastereomers
6. Enantiomers
Enantiomers are two stereoisomers that are related to each other by a
reflection:
– they are mirror images of each other
– which are non-superimposable
– Human hands are a macroscopic example of stereoisomerism
S enantiomer R enantiomer
7. Diastereomers
Diastereomers are stereoisomers
– that are not enantiomers
– they are distinct molecules with the same structural arrangement of atoms that
are
• non-superimposible
• Not mirror images of each other
– epimers are diastereomers that differ in configuration of only one stereogenic
center
1 2 3
(2S,3S)-tartaric acid (2R,3R)-tartaric acid (2R,3S)-tartaric acid
1 and 2 are enantiomers since they are mirror images
1and 3 are diastereomers
2 and 3 are diastereomers (epimers)
8. Monosaccharides
Simple momosaccharides with more than 3 carbon atoms
– have multiple asymmetric carbon atoms
– exist as diastereomers
– Symbol D and L designate the absolute configuration of the
asymmetric carbon farthest from the aldehyde or keto
group.
14. Pentoses and Hexoses cyclize to form Furanose and
Pyranose Rings
Sugars in solution exist predominantly as rings and not open chains
Open chain forms cyclize into rings
– Aldehyde reacts with an alcohol to form hemiacetal
– Ketone reacts with an alcohol to form a hemiketal
15. Cyclization of aldoses: pyranose
For aldoses, eg glucose
– C-1 aldehyde in open chain reacts with the C-5 hydroxyl group to form an
intramolecular hemiacetal
– Resulting six membered ring: pyranose because it resembles pyran
16. Cyclization of ketoses: furanose
For ketoses, eg Fructose
– C-2 of keto group in open chain reacts with the C-5 hydroxyl group to form an
intramolecular hemiketal
– Resulting five membered ring: furanose because it resembles furan
Haworth Projection
•Carbon atoms not shown
•Plane of ring is perpendicular to the plane of screen with heavy line towards you
18. Nomenclature of cyclic hemiacetals and hemiketals
Additional asymmetric center in cyclic forms
– In glucose, C-1 is the anomeric center
– In fructose (furanose form), C-2 is the anomeric center
• α means OH gp attached to anomeric carbon is below the plane of the ring
• β means OH gp attached to anomeric carbon is above the plane of the ring
C5, D
C2,
19. Confirmation of rings
Pyranose and furanose rings are not planar
Pyranose: chair and boat
Furanose: puckered
Pyranose : Chair form favored: Steric Reasons
Substituents on the ring carbon atom have 2
orientations
Axial
Equatorial
Furanose: Puckered or envelope form
C-2 endo
C-2 out of the plane on the same side as C-5
C-3 endo
C-3 out of the plane on the same side as C-5
20.
21. Reactions of Monosaccharides
React with alcohol and amines to form adducts
D-glucose reacts with methanol to form
– methyl-α-D-glucopyranoside
– methyl-β-D-glucopyranoside
– Differ in configuration at anomeric C
– New bond is called glycosidic bond (anomeric C and O of hydroxyl)
22. Reactions of Monosaccharides
The anomeric carbon can be linked to the nitrogen atom of
an amine to form an N-glycosidic bond
23. Reducing vs. Non reducing Sugars
Reducing Sugars eg., glucose
– React with Fehling’s solution
– Free aldehyde group is oxidized
Non Reducing Sugars eg., methyl glucopyranoside
– Do not react with Fehling’s solution
– Not readily interconverted to a form with free aldehyde gp
25. Oligosaccharides
Oligosaccharides are built by the linkage of 2 or more monosaccharides by
O-glycosidic bonds.
– Maltose
• Two D-glucose residues are joined by a glycosidic linkage between
– the α-anomeric form of C-1 on one sugar and
– the hydroxyl oxygen atom on the C-4 of the adjacent sugar.
27. Polysaccharides
Larger polymeric oligosaccharides
Play vital roles in energy storage and in maintaining the structural
integrity of an organism.
Homopolysaccharides : same monosaccharide
– Starch
– Glycogen
– Cellulose
– Chitin
Heteropolysaccharides
– Provide extracellular support
– Bacterial cell wall
– Cartilage and tendons
28. Polysaccharides: Glycogen
Glycogen is highly branched polymer of glucose residues
Most of the glucose units are linked by α-1,4- glycosidic bonds
Branches are formed by α-1,6- glycosidic bonds
Branches present about once in 10 units
29. Polysaccharides: Starch
Two forms
– Amylose
• Unbranched :α-1,4- glycosidic bonds
– Amylopectin
• Branched; α-1,6- glycosidic bonds about every 30 units
30. Polysaccharides: Cellulose
One of the most abundant organic compounds in the biosphere
Plays structural role in plants
Unbranched glucose polymer with β-1,4- glycosidic bonds
Forms long straight chains
Mammals lack cellulases and therefore cannot digest wood or
vegetable fibers
31. Polysaccharide structure
Structure is determined by the type of linkages
– β-1,4-linkages
• Straight chains
• Optimal for structural purposes
- α-1,4- linkages
• Favor bent structure
• Suitable for storage
32. Glycosaminoglycans:Anionic Polysaccharides
Made of repeating disaccharide units
Glucosamine or
Galactosamine
At least 1 of the sugars has a negatively charged carboxyl or sulfate group
Forms proteoglycans with proteins
Lubricants
Structural component
Mediate adhesion and bind factors stimulating cell proliferation
33. Enzymes: Oligosaccharide assembly
Glycosyltrasferases: catalyze formation of
glycosidic bonds
Specific enzymes required
– Specific to the sugars being linked
Sugar to be added is in activated form
– sugar nucleotide
Proceeds with retention or inversion of
configuration at glycosidic carbon atom
34. Human ABO Blood groups
One type of blood group possess either of these structures
A antigen
B antigen
O antigen
These structures have a common oligosaccharide foundation termed O present in O
antigen
A antigen has N-acetylgalactosamine addition (α-1,3- linkage to galactose moiety of O
antigen)
B antigen has galactose addition (α-1,3- linkage to galactose moiety of O antigen)
Specific glycosyltransferases add the extra monosaccharide to the O antigen.
35. Glycoproteins
Carbohydrates covalently attached to
proteins
Small percentage of carbohydrates
Components of cell membranes
cell adhesion
binding of sperm to egg
Carbs linked to proteins through
Aspargine (N-linked)
Takes place in the lumen of ER and
in Golgi complex
Serine or threonine (O-linked)
Takes place exclusively in the golgi
complex
36. Golgi complex as sorting center
Golgi complex has 2 roles
• Carbohydrate units of glycoproteins are modified
• Major sorting center of the cell
• Targets proteins to Lysosomes, Secretory vesicles, and Plasma
membrane
37. Lectins: Specific carbohydrate-binding proteins
• Ubiquitous
• Animals, plants and microorganisms
• Promote interactions between cells
• In plants: can serve as potent insecticides
• Binding specificities in plants is well characterized
38. Animal lectin
Animal cell lectins facilitate cell-cell contact
In animal cell C-type lectins, Ca2+ ion links a mannose residue to the lectin
40. Influenza hemagglutinin
•Viruses infect by binding to particular
•Structures
•Receptors: carbohydrates
Example: Influenza virus
•Binds to sialic acid residues
on target cell surface through hemagglutinin
• Once inside the cell, viral protein,
neuraminidase, cleaves glycosidic bonds to
sialic acid and frees the virus for infection.
•Neuraminidase is a promising target for
anti-influenza agents.