Structure and Nomenclature
Maltose is a biomolecule that belongs to the group of carbohydrates within the division into three groups, which are divided into essential elements: carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. Carbohydrates are composed by O, H, C, and are defined as polyhydroxyaldehydes or polyhydroxyketones.
It is generally divided into monosaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides depending on the number of residues. In the case of maltose, we refer to it as disaccharide because it is formed by the union of two glucose units (monosaccharide). The two are classified as hexoses because each one is composed of six carbons. The two glucoses which compose maltose are cyclized in piran form and are joined by an O-glycosidic bond through one of the first glucose carbon and fourth carbon of the second glucose, indicated as (1 → 4). The link is characterized as α due to the -OH position of the anomeric carbon in the opposite plane of CH2OH radical (the carbon is the number 6).
Due to O-glycosidic link, maltose is a disaccharide that can reduce Fehling's reagent. Furthermore, maltose can be obtained by hydrolysis of glycogen or starch, polymers of linked maltoses in position α (1 → 4) and branching in position α (1 → 6). These are very abundant and form a large number of branches. Amylase enzymes produce maltose and limit dextrin. These can be further degraded by maltase enzyme to hydrolyze maltoses as glucoses and they are ready to be degrade and obtain energy in form of ATP.
An isomer of maltose is isomaltose. This is similar to maltose but instead of bonds in position α (1 → 4), the linkage is formed in position α (1 → 6), therefore, glycogen branching is defined by isomaltose. Maltose is also the reducing character.
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