Amylose
Amylose is a linear polymer of glucose that occurs in starch. It occurs in foods such as grains and potatoes, and it is a major source of energy (calories) in most diets. There are three major forms of amylose, A, B, and V, that differ in the three-dimensional structure. Amylose can also occur with an undefined structure, for example when cooked in water. Amylose is distinct from amylopectin, which is a branched polymer of glucose, and from cellulose, which is a linear polymer of glucose that differs in stereochemistry from amylose.
StructureStructure
and B occur as parallel double-helices of glucose chains, with 6 glucose units per turn. In contrast, occurs as a single helix as shown in the figure (same structure shown as ). A more irregular conformation of a cyclic amylose occurs is found in complex with a protein in the structure 5jiw.
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