VPB 112: General Veterinary Biochemistry (1+1)

STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF DISACCHARIDES

• Disaccharides are sugars composed of 2 monosaccharide units joined by glycosidic linkage.
• The linkage may be either a or b , depending on the position of the atoms (H and OH) attached to the anomeric carbon of the sugar.
• Disaccharides undergo mutarotation at the reducing end.
• The most common disaccharides produced by mammals are maltose, isomaltose and lactose.
• Maltose and isomaltose are generated during digestion of starch in the gut.
• Lactose is synthesized by the mammary glands and is an important component of milk.
• Common table sugar, sucrose is a non-reducing disaccharide.