Carbohydrates
Lecture 1
Objectives
• Define what a carbohydrate molecule is
• Recognise and classify carbohydrate molecules
• Explain why carbohydrates are important
• Name other molecules that interact with
carbohydrates and explain how and why these
interactions occur
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are
• A major source of
energy from our diet.
• Composed of the
elements C, H, and O.
• Also called saccharides,
which means “sugars.”
Carbohydrates
• Carbohydrates are polyhydroxy aldehydes or polyhydroxy
ketones or substances that give such molecules on
hydrolysis.
• The name carbohydrate, means “carbon hydrate” .
• The general formula is (C-H2O)n, where n ≥ 3 (many, but
not all, carbohydrates have this formula, some also contain
nitrogen, phosphorus, or sulfur).
What is a Carbohydrate?
• Aldehyde or ketone compounds with multiple
hydroxyl groups (OH)
• Ketones – both groups attached to carbonyl group
are carbon
• Aldehydes – one carbon and one hydrogen
attached to carbonyl group
Acetone: Acetaldehyde
Polyhydroxyaldehydes
Ribose Galactose Glucose
aldo-
R
Polyhydroxyketone
R R
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates
• Are synthesized from simpler
substances in a process named
gluconeogenesis.
• Are produced by photosynthesis in
plants.
• Such as glucose are synthesized in
plants from CO2, H2O, and energy
from the sun.
• Are oxidized in living cells Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc
(respiration) to produce CO2, H2O, Publishing as Benjamin Cummings
and energy.
Importance of Carbohydrates
• Carbohydrates serve as energy source in the
living system.
• Most organisms obtain energy from the
oxidation of carbohydrates
• Glucose is most common simple
carbohydrate used as fuel
• Carbohydrates serve as energy stores in the
living system (like glycogen and starch).
Importance of Carbohydrates
• Some carbohydrates are also principal components
of a number of biomolecules like ribose and deoxy
ribose in nucleic acids.
• Antigenic – ABO blood groups
• Structural and mechanical components of cell
walls in plants and insects, cartilage in vertebrates
Types of Carbohydrates
• Depending on the number of sugar units in their
molecules, carbohydrates can be divided into three classes:
– Monosaccharides, the simplest carbohydrates.
– Disaccharides, which consist of two monosaccharides.
– Polysaccharides, which contain many monosaccharides.
Monosaccharides
Monosaccharides are aldehyde or ketone
derivatives of straight-chain alcohols containing
at least three carbon atoms and cannot be
hydrolyzed to simpler compounds
Monosaccharides consist of
• 3 to 7 carbon atoms, typically.
• A carbonyl group (aldehyde or ketone).
• Several hydroxyl groups.
Aldoses
Aldoses are
monosaccharides O
║
• With an aldehyde group. C─H aldose
• With many hydroxyl │
(─OH) groups. H─ C─OH
│
triose (3 C atoms) H─ C─OH
tetrose (4 C atoms) │
CH2OH
pentose (5 C
atoms) Erythose, an aldotetrose
hexose (6 C atoms)
heptose (7 C atoms)
Ketoses
Ketoses are monosaccharides
CH2OH
• With a ketone group. │
• With many hydroxyl (─OH) C=O ketose
groups. │
H─ C─OH
triose (3 C atoms) │
H─ C─OH
tetrose (4 C atoms)
│
pentose (5 C atoms) H─C─OH
hexose (6 C atoms) │
CH2OH
heptose (7 C atoms)
Fructose, a ketohexose
Hexose: aldo & keto
R
R R
Monosaccarides
Which classification fits this sugar?
Which classification fits this sugar?
Dihydroxyacetone
Which classification fits this sugar?
Which classification fits this sugar?
Galactose
Which classification fits this sugar?
Which classification fits this sugar?
Glyceraldehyde
Which classification fits this sugar?
Which classification fits this sugar?
D-Threose
Which classification fits this sugar?
Ketoheptose
Which classification fits this sugar?
Ketoheptose
Sedoheptulose
