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 transposition with vsd with restricted pulmonary, Explain transposi...

Explain transposition with VSD with restricted pulmonary? Transposition of great arteries with VSD with restricted pulmonary blood flow: Restriction to pulmonary blood flow

Sequence was found in a 21 base dna polymer., Suppose the following base se...

Suppose the following base sequence was found in a 21 base DNA polymer. 3' TAC   TTA   GGC   TCC    GTT    CAG   ATT       5' 1. Provide the nucleotide sequence complementary

Main effects of chronic lead, Q. Main effects of chronic lead? Lead, e...

Q. Main effects of chronic lead? Lead, even at relatively low levels of exposure can cause severe health effects. Exhaust from vehicles using unleaded petrol serves as

Head stream of highland brook zone, Head stream of Highland brook zone ...

Head stream of Highland brook zone This is formed by a number of small streams, which originate from a marsh, a spring or a glacier. This is a small shallow zone with an irreg

Why is knowledge of chemistry necessary for study, Why is knowledge of chem...

Why is knowledge of chemistry necessary for the study of living organisms?

How are amino acids brought to the cellular site, How are amino acids broug...

How are amino acids brought to the cellular site where translation takes place? What is an anticodon? Amino acids are brought to ribosomes by RNA molecules called as transfer R

Age distribution - population parameters and regulation, Age Distribution -...

Age Distribution - Population Parameters and Regulation It is obvious that individuals in a population will be of different age groups. Relative numbers of young and old indiv

Phylem protozoa, how does these phylem parasites????

how does these phylem parasites????

Implementation of nursing care - meningitis, Implementation of Nursing Care...

Implementation of Nursing Care Isolate the Child: When the child is admitted with suspected meningitis, the nurse has to take care that child's isolation is essential to p

Which are vessels that drain filtered blood from the kidneys, Q. Which are ...

Q. Which are the vessels that drain filtered blood from the kidneys? The renal veins carry the blood that has been reabsorbed in the nephron tubules and the venous vessels that

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