Explain the structure of cellulose

Cellulose is a linear polysaccharide polymer with many glucose monosaccharide units. The linkage is beta, which makes it different from starch. This difference results in a major different in digestibility in humans. Humans are unable to digest cellulose because the appropriate enzymes to breakdown the beta linkages are lacking. Cellulose is mostly a linear chain but the second monomer is flipped.

Sarika G. avatar
Answered by Sarika G. Biology tutor

4103 Views

See similar Biology A Level tutors
Cookie Preferences