Chapter 22, Problem 7P

Interpretation Introduction

To calculate:

The number of reducing ends and non-reducing ends in given cases.

Introduction:

Glycogen is composed of glucose linked via alpha (1-4) linkages and branches occurring through alpha (1-6) linkages. In glycogen, the free C-1 end on glucose end of the molecule is called a reducing end and all the other ends are non-reducing ends.

  

Black line indicate the glycogen chain and red dot indicates the glucose monomers.

Therefore, regardless of the number of residues in the glycogen chain, there is only one reducing end for a glycogen chain. All other ends are non-reducing.