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Question 60

Amylopectin is a polymer of

Solution

Starch occurs in two fractions, amylose and amylopectin.

Both fractions are polysaccharides, i.e. high-molecular-mass carbohydrates formed by condensation of many monosaccharide units.

In starch, the repeating monosaccharide unit is $$\alpha\!-\!D$$-glucose.

• Amylose is a linear polymer of $$\alpha\!-\!D$$-glucose linked mainly through $$\alpha(1\rightarrow4)$$ glycosidic bonds.
• Amylopectin is a highly branched polymer of the same $$\alpha\!-\!D$$-glucose units. It contains $$\alpha(1\rightarrow4)$$ linkages in the chains and $$\alpha(1\rightarrow6)$$ linkages at the branch points.

Hence amylopectin is built exclusively from $$\alpha\!-\!D$$-glucose monomers.

Checking the options:
Option B (amino acid) - starch is a carbohydrate, not a polypeptide.
Option C ($$\beta\!-\!D$$-glucose) - polymers of $$\beta\!-\!D$$-glucose form cellulose, not amylopectin.
Option D (amylase) - amylase is an enzyme that hydrolyses starch; it is not a monomer.

Therefore the correct choice is:

Option A which is: $$\alpha - D -$$ glucose

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