POLYMERS OF GLUCOSE
1. Download the following files from eClass: amylose1.pdb and cellulose.pdb. Recall that amylose is a polymer
formed from α–D–glucose monomers and cellulose is formed from β–D–glucose monomers.

2. These exercises require you to import these files into a standalone Mol* session. Navigate to
https://www.rcsb.org/3d–view and select “Open files” near the top of the right–hand panel. Click on “Select
files” and then choose “amylose1.pdb” from your computer. Click “Apply” to import this structure. NOTE: This
file contains the 3D structure of a segment from an amylose molecule. However, individual glucose residues
can not be selected, nor will focus view work properly.

3. Examine the structure of amylose carefully and answer the following in your submission:

QUESTION 1 (2 marks): Is amylose a reducing sugar, and how can you tell from the given structure?

If you
believe amylose is a reducing sugar, zoom in on the reducing end of the molecule, and take a screenshot to
include in your submission. To take a screenshot using Mol*, use the tool and click “download”.

4. Your next task is to identify some of the hydrogen bonds within amylose that are responsible for
maintaining its structure and determining its physical properties. Pick any single glucose residue in the
molecule you wish and zoom in on it. Go through all the carbons in that residue one at a time from C1 to C6
and consider the OH groups bonded to any of those carbons.

5. Identify the hydrogen atoms within those groups that can serve as hydrogen bond donors to a suitable
acceptor (not necessarily the case for all the OH hydrogen atoms within a residue). Recall that hydrogen bonds
have geometric constraints and become weaker with increasing distance. If you believe a hydrogen atom can
possess more than one hydrogen bond acceptor, pick only the one interaction you believe to be more
significant