Section of a starch molecule
Image
Chemical structural formula:
Section of a starch molecule showing the alpha-1,4 glycosidic bonds in amylose.
Type of media:
Image (68.3 kByte)
Last update:
2017-10-11
License:
This medium is made available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 international license.
What does this mean?
How to reference this medium
This medium is made available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 international license.
What does this mean?
How to reference this medium
Description:
Starch is a prominent example of plant polysaccharides. It has a soluble component (25%) and an insoluble component (75%). The soluble component, the amylose, forms long chains that coil up into an alpha-helix. By contrast, the insoluble component, the amylopectin, is highly branched with additional bonds between shorter chain sections. Amylose can be specifically detected using iodine. Iodine is deposited inside the alpha-helix of the starch molecule. This results in a complex that has a distinctive color ranging from deep blue, blue-violet, to black, depending on the iodine concentration.
Information and ideas:
Glycogen, the storage for carbohydrates in animals, is comparable in structure to amylopectin.
Information and ideas:
Glycogen, the storage for carbohydrates in animals, is comparable in structure to amylopectin.
Related media:
There are no other media directly related to this file.
Learning resource type:
Illustration
Subjects:
Biology; Chemistry
Grade levels:
Grade 10 to 13
School types:
Middle/high school
Keywords:
Carbohydrate; Metabolism; Molecule; Nutrition; Molecular structure (chemistry); Nutrition
Bibliography:
Siemens Stiftung Media Portal
Author:
MediaHouse GmbH
Rights holder:
© Siemens Stiftung 2016