I don understand the difference between glycosidic linkages in starch and cellulose, why are they important?
Answer Hi Maris, Thank you for contacting me. This is the explanation: The linkage between glucose units in starch is alpha glycosidic linkage, but in cellulose it is beta glycosidic linkage. I found this definition for you that I have copied and pasted it. α-, β-, 1,4 and 1,6 glycosidic bonds In general, one distinguishes between α- and β-glycosidic bonds, depending on whether the substituent groups on the carbons flanking the ring oxygen are pointing in the same or opposite directions in the standard way of drawing sugars. An α-glycosidic bond for a D-sugar emanates below the plane of the sugar while the hydroxyl (or other substituent group) on the other carbon points above the plane (opposite configuration), while a β-glycosidic bond emanates above that plane (the same configuration). The alpha and beta designation is reversed for L-sugars with an opposing configuration designated beta and the same configuration designated alpha. (The figure above shows ethyl α-D-glucoside.) In a 1,
