Biochemistry of carbohydrates Carbohydrates The principal role of carbohydrates is the provision of energy. The most common carbohydrates are the sugars and the starches. The basic structure of carbohydrates are the same. They are all made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Where n can be any number, but is usually small.
Molecules can exist in a number of forms, one of the differences is that of the mirror image.
In general sugars within living organisms are of the D form, amino acids are of the L form Disaccharides These are sugars which consist of two monosaccarides joined together. The link is formed by the removal of water, a condensation reaction. Not all glycosidic links are identical, there are several types depending on where, within the ring, the link is made. Sucrose is the only common non-reducing sugar and must be split into its monosaccharides before it will give a positive result with the Benedict's test Polysaccharides Polysaccharides are complex carbohydrates, they do not taste sweet and are either insoluble in water or form colloidal solutions. They can accumulate with out affecting the normal functioning of the cell.