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Starch definitions

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  • Starch
    A plant energy storage polysaccharide composed of D-glucose units with alpha glycosidic bonds, existing in both linear and branched forms.
  • Amylose
    A linear, unbranched form of starch with helical loops, consisting solely of D-glucose units linked by alpha 1→4 glycosidic bonds.
  • Amylopectin
    A branched form of starch with branch points every 24–30 residues, featuring alpha 1→6 glycosidic linkages at branches.
  • Homopolysaccharide
    A polymer made from repeating units of a single type of sugar, such as D-glucose in starch.
  • D-glucose
    The monosaccharide building block of starch, forming both amylose and amylopectin structures.
  • Alpha 1→4 glycosidic bond
    A linkage connecting D-glucose units in the main chain of starch, crucial for its linear structure.
  • Alpha 1→6 glycosidic bond
    A linkage found at branch points in amylopectin, enabling its branched architecture.
  • Energy storage
    A biological function of starch in plants, facilitated by its alpha glycosidic bonds and structural forms.
  • Branch point
    A location in amylopectin where a side chain diverges from the main chain via an alpha 1→6 linkage.
  • Helical loop
    A structural feature of amylose, resulting from its linear chain folding into spiral shapes.
  • Maltose
    A disaccharide formed by two D-glucose units linked by an alpha 1→4 bond, present within amylose.
  • Polysaccharide
    A carbohydrate composed of many monosaccharide units, such as starch, serving structural or storage roles.
  • Digestibility
    The property of starch allowing most animals to break it down, due to its alpha glycosidic linkages.
  • Plant cell
    The site where starch is synthesized and stored, providing energy reserves for the organism.
  • Residue
    An individual D-glucose unit within the polymer chain of starch, forming the repeating structure.