Polysaccharides

Abstract

In contrast to proteins, polypeptides, and nucleic acids, polysaccharides are an often neglected class of biopolymer. Despite the fact that the first observation of a helical biopolymer was of a polysaccharide,⁽¹²⁸²⁾ in general the solution conformations of polysaccharides tend to be less ordered and less understood than their protein, polypeptide, or nucleic acid counterparts; and of course less ordered to many scientists implies less interesting. However, polysaccharides are of universal importance in living matter, and recent studies of their primary, secondary, tertiary, and even quaternary structures,⁽³²⁸⁾ and the factors, including solvent, which control the adoption of particular structures are gradually awakening a more general interest in these substances.