Question

The almost pure cellulose obtained from the seed threads of Gossypium (cotton) is tough, fibrous, and completely insoluble in water. In contrast, glycogen obtained from muscle or liver disperses readily in hot water to make a turbid solution. Despite their markedly different physical properties, both substances are (14)-linked D-glucose polymers of comparable molecular weight. What structural features of these two polysaccharides underlie their different physical properties

Answer 1

Answer:

Cellulose is held by beta 1,4-glycosidic bonds making it linear while Glycogen is held by an alpha 1,4-glycosidic bond making it highly branched.

Explanation:

Cellulose and Glycogen are both carbohydrate polysaccharides formed from glucose monomers. According to the question, cellulose is a tough, fibrous, and insoluble (in water) polymer found to play a structural role in plants' cell wall while Glycogen is another polymer obtained from muscle or liver and disperses readily in hot water to make a turbid solution.

Although these two polysaccharides (cellulose and glycogen) are linked by (1, 4)-glycosidic bonds but the glucose monomers in CELLULOSE are linked by a beta 1,4-glycosidic, hence, making it a straight or linear polymer

GLYCOGEN, on the other hand, is linked by an alpha 1,4-glycosidic bond making it an highly branched polymer. This structure is responsible for the different physical properties of the two molecules.