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Glucose

Because Glucose is the unit from which starch, cellulose and glycogen are made up, and because of its special role in biological processes, there are probably more glucose groups in Nature than any other organic group. It is extremely important in Nature as one of the main energy sources for living organisms, both in plants and animals.

A Sweet Discovery
Glucose was first isolated in 17 7 from raisins by !ndreas "arggraf. #he name glucose was coined in 1$%$ by &ean 'umas, from the gree( glycos, sugar or sweet , and the structure was discovered by )mil *ischer around the turn of the century. In fact, there are + forms of glucose, the dextrose . In fact, the full name for common glucose is ',-./, glucose, and its chemically correct name -using the I01!2 systematic naming system for organic molecules/ is -+3,%4, 3,53/,+,%, ,5,6,pentahydroxyhexanol.

A Ring or a Chain?
Glucose can be thought of as a derivative of hexane -a 6,carbon chain/ with ,78 groups attached to every carbon except the endmost one, which exists as an aldehyde carbonyl. 8owever because the chain is flexible it can wrap around until the + ends react together to form a ring structure. #hus a solution of glucose can be thought of as a rapidly changing mixture of rings and chains, continually interconverting between the + forms.

#he 2hain form of Glucose #he 3ing form of Glucose #he 2hain form of Glucose #he 3ing form of Glucose

Nature's fuel
Glucose is a ready source of energy, since its carbon atoms are easily oxidised -burnt/ to form carbon dioxide, releasing energy in the process. 8owever, unli(e other hydrocarbon fuels, which are insoluble in water, the numerous 78 groups in glucose allow it to readily hydrogen,bond with water molecules, so ma(ing it highly soluble in water. #his

allows the glucose fuel to be transported easily within biological systems, for example in the bloodstream of animals or the sap of plants. In fact the average adult has 5,6 grams of glucose in the blood -about 1 teaspoon/, which will supply the body9s energy needs for only about 15 minutes, thereafter the levels must be replenished from compounds stored in the liver. Because glucose is found in ripe fruits, the nectar of flowers, leaves, sap and blood, over the years it has been given various common names, such as starch sugar, blood sugar, grape sugar and corn sugar.

Linking the Chains


Glucose is called a monosaccharide, since it is made up of only one unit, but it is possible to :oin individual sugar units together to form a chain, in much the same way as monomer units are lin(ed up to form a long polymer. If two units are :oined together we form a disaccharide, examples of which are maltose -malt sugar/, lactose -milk sugar, found only in the mil( of mammals/, and sucrose -table sugar, cane sugar or beet sugar/.

"altose , the ,1; lin(age is shown in red

References :

Introduction to Organic Chemistry, 4treitweiser and 8eathcoc( -"ac"illan, New <or(, 1=$1/. Molecules, 1.>. !t(ins ->.8. *reeman and 2o, New <or(, 1=$7/. Chemistry and the Living Organism, ".". Bloomfield, >iley, New <or(, 1==+.

http://www ch ic ac uk/vche!li"/!i!/"ristol/glucose/glucose#te$t ht!

GLOCOZA ( GLUCOSE )

Student : Toma Elena Catalina Grupa : 3210 Materie : Biochimie si Biologie Moleculara

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