Starch and Cellulose - Compare and contrast table in A Level and IB Biology

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Created by: Lucy
Created on: 02-03-13 15:39

Starch and Cellulose

Similarities

Amylose is unbranched, Cellulose is unbranched
The alpha-glucose in Starch and the beta-glucose in Cellulose are all joined together by glycosidic bonds.
They're both Insoluble

Differences

Amylopectin is branched
Cellulose provides support- Starch is an energy storage material
Starch is made from polysaccharides of alpha-glucose, Cellulose is made from polysaccharide of beta-glucose.
Cellulose chains are straight, both amylose and amylopectin are not.
Hydrogen bonds form between –OH groups in neighbouring cellulose chains, Starch does not use hydrogen bonding.
Starch has 1,4 and 1,6 glycosidic bonds. Cellulose only has 1,4.

Overall comparison

Cellulose and starch are made of similar materials, but have very different functions.
Cellulose has both glycosidic and hydrogen bonds, starch only has glycosidic bonds.

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