What are carbohydrates? Give the classification of carbohydrates.
Biomolecules with elemental composition
of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are in 1:2:1 ratio are called Carbohydrates or hydrates
of carbon.
On the basis of number of
saccharides in hydrolysis, carbohydrates are classified as monosaccharides, oligosaccharides,
and polysaccharides.
Monosaccharides – They are the
simplest sugars which cannot be further hydrolysed.
Based on the number of carbon
atoms, these are of different types. They are trioses, tetroses, pentoses,
hexoses, heptoses, etc.
Oliosaccharides – carbohydrates which
on hydrolysis yield 2 to 10 monosaccharides are called Oligosaccharides. They monosaccharides
are held together by glycosidic bonds.
Based on the number of monosaccharides
present, oligosaccharides are of following types.
Disaccharides – two monosaccharides
are present. Eg: Maltose
Trisaccharides – three monosaccharides
are present eg:Raffinose
Tetrasaccharides – four monosacchardies
are present eg:Stachyose
Pentasaccharides – five monosaccharides
are present eg:Barbascose
Polysaccharides – large number
of monosaccharides are present.
On structural basis, these are
of two types.
Homopolysaccharides – composed
of same type of monosaccharides. Eg:cellulose
Heteropolysaccharides – different types of
monosaccharides are present. Eg:Hyaluronic acid.
Biomolecules with elemental composition of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are in 1:2:1 ratio are called Carbohydrates or hydrates of carbon.
On the basis of number of saccharides in hydrolysis, carbohydrates are classified as monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides.
Monosaccharides – They are the simplest sugars which cannot be further hydrolysed.
Based on the number of carbon atoms, these are of different types. They are trioses, tetroses, pentoses, hexoses, heptoses, etc.
Oliosaccharides – carbohydrates which on hydrolysis yield 2 to 10 monosaccharides are called Oligosaccharides. They monosaccharides are held together by glycosidic bonds.
Based on the number of monosaccharides present, oligosaccharides are of following types.
Disaccharides – two monosaccharides are present. Eg: Maltose
Trisaccharides – three monosaccharides are present eg:Raffinose
Tetrasaccharides – four monosacchardies are present eg:Stachyose
Pentasaccharides – five monosaccharides are present eg:Barbascose
Polysaccharides – large number of monosaccharides are present.
On structural basis, these are of two types.
Homopolysaccharides – composed of same type of monosaccharides. Eg:cellulose
Heteropolysaccharides – different types of monosaccharides are present. Eg:Hyaluronic acid.
