The difference between cellulose and chitin

Cellulose is a structural polysaccharide. It is a major component of the rigid cell walls

that surround many plant cells. The stems and branches of many plants consist largely of
cellulose. This single polysaccharide accounts for a significant percentage of all organic matter
on Earth.

Chitin, probably the second most abundant organic compound on Earth, is a structural
homoglycan found in the exoskeletons of insects and crustaceans and also in the cell walls of
most fungi and red algae.

Cellulose Chitin
It is a major component of the Found in the exoskeletons of
rigid cell walls that surround insects and crustaceans and
many plant cells. also in the cell walls of most
fungi and red algae.
An insoluble substance, which A fibrous substance consisting
is the main constituent of plant of polysaccharides, which is
cell walls and of vegetable the major constituent in the
fibres such as cotton exoskeleton of arthropods and
the cell walls of fungi
Monomer unit is D-glucose Monomer unit is N-acetyl-D-
glucosamine
Does not contain nitrogen Contains nitrogen
Second carbon of the glucose Second carbon of the glucose
binds to a hydroxyl group in binds to an acetyl amine group
cellulose
Strength of the cellulose Strength of the polimer matrix
polymer matrix is is higher due to the increased
comparatively low hydrogen bonding capacity
Developed earlier Developed later
Most abundant polysaccharide Comparatively less abundant
on earth
The structure of cellulose

Like amylose, cellulose is a linear polymer of glucose residues, but in cellulose the
glucose residues are joined by β-(1→4) linkages rather than α-(1→4) linkages. The two glucose
residues of the disaccharide cellobiose also are connected by a β-(1→4) linkage (Figure 8.20b).
Cellulose molecules vary greatly in size, ranging from about 300 to more than 15,000 glucose
residues. The β linkages of cellulose result in a rigid extended conformation in which each
glucose residue is rotated 180° relative to its neighbors (Figure 8.25). Extensive hydrogen
bonding within and between cellulose chains leads to the formation of bundles, or fibrils (Figure
8.26).

The structure of chitin

Chitin is a linear polymer similar to cellulose. It is made up of β-(1→4) linked GlcNAc

residues rather than glucose residues (Figure 8.27). Each GlcNAc residue is rotated 180° relative
to its neighbors. The GlcNAc residues in adjacent strands of chitin form hydrogen bonds with
each other resulting in linear fibrils of great strength. Chitin is often closely associated with
nonpolysaccharide compounds, such as proteins and inorganic material.

Proteoglycans, glycoproteins, and glycolipids based on their function and presence

Proteoglycans

Proteoglycans are organized in this tissue. Proteoglycans are complexes of proteins and a class of
polysaccharides called glycosaminoglycans. These glycoconjugates occur predominately in the
extracellular matrix (connective tissue) of multicellular animals. Several types of glycosaminoglycans
have been isolated and characterized. Each type has its own sugar composition, linkages, tissue
distribution, and function and each is attached to a characteristic protein.

Hyaluronic acid is an example of a glycosaminoglycan composed of the repeating disaccharide unit

shown in Figure 8.28. It is found in the fluid of joints where it forms a viscous solution that is an
excellent lubricant. Hyaluronic acid is also a major component of cartilage.

Proteoglycans are highly hydrated and occupy a large volume because their glycosaminoglycan
component contains polar and ionic groups. These features confer elasticity and resistance to
compression—important properties of connective tissue. For example, the flexibility of cartilage allows it
to absorb shocks. Some of the water can be pressed out when cartilage is compressed but relief from
pressure allows cartilage to rehydrate. In addition to maintaining the shapes of tissues, proteoglycans
can also act as extracellular sieves and help direct cell growth and migration.

Aggrecan is a member of a small family of hyalectans, proteoglycans that bind to hyaluronic acid. Other
hyalectans provide elasticity to blood vessel walls and modulate cell-cell interactions in the brain

Glycoproteins

Glycoproteins, like proteoglycans, are proteins that contain covalently bound oligosaccharides (i.e.,
proteins that are glycosylated). In fact, proteoglycans are a type of glycoprotein. The carbohydrate
chains of a glycoprotein vary in length from one to more than 30 residues and can account for as much
as 80% of the total mass of the molecule. Glycoproteins are an extraordinarily diverse group of proteins
that includes enzymes, hormones, structural proteins, and transport proteins.

O-Linked oligosaccharides may account for 80% of the mass of mucins. These large glycoproteins are
found in mucus, the viscous fluid that protects and lubricates the epithelium of the gastrointestinal,
genitourinary, and respiratory tracts. The oligosaccharide chains of mucins contain an abundance of
NeuNAc residues and sulfated sugars. The negative charges of these residues are responsible in part for
the extended shape of mucins, which contributes to the viscosity of solutions containing mucins.

The biosynthesis of the oligosaccharide chains of glycoproteins requires a battery of specific enzymes in
distinct compartments of the cell. In the stepwise synthesis of O-linked oligosaccharides,
glycosyltransferases catalyze the addition of glycosyl groups donated by nucleotide–sugar coenzymes.
The oligosaccharide chains are assembled by addition of the first sugar molecule to the protein, followed
by subsequent single-sugar additions to the nonreducing end.

Most glycoproteins are secreted from the cell or are bound to the outer surface of the plasma
membrane. There are very few glycoproteins in the cytoplasm. With rare exceptions, none of the basic
metabolic enzymes are glycosylated. The addition of oligosaccharide chains is tightly coupled to sorting
and secretion in eukaryotic cells. The oligosaccharides are attached to specific proteins in the lumen of
the endoplasmic reticulum and the groups are modified by various glycosyltransferase enzymes as the
proteins move from the ER through the Golgi to the cell surface. The structure of the linked
oligosaccharide serves as a marker for sorting proteins into various compartments. For example, some
proteins are targeted to the lysosomes, depending on the structure of the oligosaccharide, while others
are marked for secretion.

Glycolipid

Glycolipids are lipids with a carbohydrate attached by a glycosidic (covalent) bond. Glycolipids
are components of cellular membaranes comprised of a hydrophobic lipid tail and one or more
hydrophilic sugar groups linked by a glycosisdic bond. Glycolipids are glycoconjugates of lipids
that are generally found on the extracellular face of eukaryotic cellular membranes, and function
to maintain stability of the membrane and to facilitate cell–cell interactions. Glycolipids can also
act as receptors for viruses and other pathogens to enter cells. Gangliosides and cerebrosides that
form glycosphingolipids (carbohydrate + sphingolipid) are two classes of glycolipids.

Food source containing oligosaccharides and polysaccharides

Oligosaccharides

Oligosaccharides can be found in a wide array of food, but they are most heavily concentrated in
breads, cereals, pasta, and legumes. Nuts and vegetables are also well represented in this group,
but the head-scratcher for most people is fruit.
polysaccharides

Three main polysaccharides related to the human nutrition include:

Starch ─ an energy source obtained from plants

Cellulose ─ a structural polysaccharide in plants; when consumed, it acts as a dietary fiber

Glycogen ─ a storage form of glucose in the human liver and muscles