Carbohydrates, Biology

Assignment Help:

Carbohydrates

Fifty five to seventy per cent of the required energy in animals is derived from carbohydrates. However, fats and proteins can also be broken down and used for supplying energy. In most animals this happens only when the dietary intake of carbohydrates is low. In contrast, Drosophila uses only carbohydrates as a source of energy for its flight muscles and when the supply is exhausted the insect cannot fly even though it uses stored fat for other metabolic processes. Whereas, locusts are known to use only lipids for their long migratory flights. Most animals, however, use a variety of hexose sugars like glucose, fructose, mannose, and galactose as interchangeable sources of energy.

In this way no particular carbohydrate is really considered essential in a way similar to amino acids. But even if no carbohydrate is considered essential, growth of certain animals will be better on one type of sugar than on another. This can be explained better by the results of the following experiment. Young locusts showed that when dietary sugar was maltose growth was maximum or optimum and growth was minimum when no carbohydrate was given. Other sugars supported sub-optimal growth. What could be the reason for this difference? One of the main causes is the difference in the rate of movement of sugars across the gut wall into the blood. From the above experiment we can conclude that certain insects have a preference for a certain carbohydrate which can be called an essential or preferred nutrient. In the above experiment with locusts, maltose was the preferred nutrient.


Related Discussions:- Carbohydrates

Explain the simple interrupted technique of suturing, Simple interrupted te...

Simple interrupted technique of Suturing The simple loop is the most commonly used technique in dentistry and is routinely used to adapt tension free, mobile surgical flaps.

Define key concepts and facts on properties of monosaccharid, Define Key Co...

Define Key Concepts and Facts on Properties of Monosaccharides? 1. All monosaccharides are soluble in water. 2. All monosaccharides give Molisch's test. 3. Monosaccharides do n

What are biogeochemical cycles, Q. What are biogeochemical cycles? The ...

Q. What are biogeochemical cycles? The Biogeochemical cycles are representations of the circulation and recycling of matter in nature. The major biogeochemical cycles studie

Liquid fuels, Petroleum Liquid fuels are widely used for industrial and...

Petroleum Liquid fuels are widely used for industrial and domestic purposes. Almost all internal combustion engines run on liquid fuels. Liquid fuels are also used in heat gene

Use of examination gloves, Q. Use of Examination Gloves? Examination Gl...

Q. Use of Examination Gloves? Examination Gloves - latex, vinyl, nitrile, neoprene Gloves are worn whenever contact with blood, saliva, mucous membranes or blood/saliva-cont

Nervous system, a) Produce annotated diagrams that illustrate how nerve imp...

a) Produce annotated diagrams that illustrate how nerve impulses travel i) along a neurone ii) across a synapse.

How different are the concepts of neoplasia-tumor and cancer, Q. How differ...

Q. How different are the concepts of neoplasia, tumor and cancer? Not all tumor is neoplastic and not every neoplasia creates tumor. The Tumor is the generic name given to the

Define criteria for assessment of pyridoxine status, Define Criteria for As...

Define Criteria for Assessment of Pyridoxine Status? Vitamin B 6 status is most appropriately evaluated by using a combination of indicators,  namely plasma PLP concentration,

Nursing diagnosis, Nursing Diagnosis Nursing diagnosis are judgemen...

Nursing Diagnosis Nursing diagnosis are judgements or conclusions reached by you after analyzing the data base that indicate a potential or actual human need that you as

Echocardiography, Echocardiographic evaluation should be performed in all p...

Echocardiographic evaluation should be performed in all patients with clinically suspected IE, including those with negative blood cultures.  Not only is TEE the preferred approach

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd