The homopolysaccharides cellulose is of major importance to the structure of plants because it provides support to stems and stalks and provides a tough and water–insoluble protective barrier.
In general, homopolysaccharides have a well defined chemical structure, although their molecule weight of an individual amylose or xylan molecule may vary within a particular range, depending on the source.
Several naturally occurring homopolysaccharides are listed in the following table:
Cellulose
Amylose
Chitin
Inulin
Xylan
Glycogen
Amylopectin
Dextran
Agar
Cellulose consists of a long chain of β-glucopyranose residues joined by β-(1 – 4) glycosidic bonds. The strength of cellulose comes from the way in which cellulose molecules from hydrogen bonds with neighboring ones, producing durable sheets of polysaccharides.
There are two types of homopolysaccharides
*Linear homopolysaccharides – Polysaccharides formed from a single sugar unit and having straight chain structure.
*Branched homopolysaccharides – For the most part, these polysaccharides serve as energy reserves and not as structural elements.
Homopolysaccharides
