21Apr 2019 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

Mono- Di- and Polysaccharides: Starches Sugars Cellulose

Biology, Chemistry
[caption id="attachment_24172" align="alignright" width="480"] This Giant Sequoia stands tall thanks to Cellulose. – Image by Tripastute[/caption] Carbon appears to be unique in its immense chemical diversity. So much so, that an entire branch is devoted to its chemical behavior – organic chemistry. Yet, the name given to this branch of chemistry indicates something of more importance than its being just another branch among many. Organic chemistry began as the chemistry of living things, the chemistry of all things organic. There are literally millions of carbon compounds incorporated into organic chemistry. The group we will consider here is the saccharides. Some among these consist of multiple saccharide units joined together. Hence, they are termed polysaccharides. What is a Saccharide? The word “saccharide” is derived from the Latin sacchararum, “meaning full of…
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27Apr 2018 by Vincent Summers 1 Comment

How the Tear Ingredient Lysozyme Fights Bacteria

Biology, Chemistry
[caption id="attachment_19802" align="alignright" width="460"] 1,4-beta glycosidic bond[/caption] Human tears largely consist of water, sodium, and potassium electrolytes. However, these are not the only important substances found in tears. There are a number of complex organic substances essential in maintaining the eye. One ingredient is lysozyme, prominent among a group of chemicals which exhibit antibacterial behavior [see the PubChem reference for an image of lysozyme]. Lysozyme Modus Operandum The University of Colorado reference (cited) makes the following statement: "The enzyme lysozyme breaks down bacterial cell walls, which are made of a unique compound called peptidoglycan." Molecular Structure of the Contenders [caption id="attachment_19810" align="alignright" width="330"] cyclohexane chair conformer[/caption] The fifty-cent name for lysozyme is N-acetylmuramide glycanhydrolase. The suffix at the end of the name, -ase, indicates this compound is an enzyme. An…
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