Question

Paramylum granules are made of?
A) β 1-3 glucan
B) α 1-3 glucan
C) β 1-4 glucan
D) α 1-4 glucan

Answer 1

Hint: Paramylum is also known as Paramylon. These are carbohydrates, similar to starch. The chloroplast in euglena contains chlorophyll a and b which helps in the synthesis of carbohydrates to be stored as starch granules and paramylon.

Complete answer:
Paramylon is made in the pyrenoids of euglena. The euglenoids store their photosynthate in an unusual form. These are paramylum granules of β1-3glucon. It is stored in rod-like bodies throughout the cytoplasm. These are often visible as colourless or white in the microscope. They often take the shape of euglena species. α 1-3 glucan is a polysaccharide that is insoluble in water. It is produced by microorganisms like Penicillium. β glucans are the sugar molecules that are present in yeast, algae, plants, bacterias. These are soluble in nature and are helpful in reducing high cholesterol and beneficial for various skin disorders.

Additional Information: Paramylon, the euglenoid storage carbohydrate was studied by transmission electron microscope.it is done by thin sectioning, negative staining and freezing etching and scanning electron microscopy in order to develop a three-dimensional model of paramylon structure. These are often visible as colourless or white in the microscope. They often take the shape of euglena species. These are paramylum granules, β1-3glucon. It is stored in rod-like bodies throughout the cytoplasm. The granules are a membrane bound-crystal composed of two types of segments, rectangular solids and wedges.

Therefore the correct answer is option ‘A’.

Note: Fibres traverse the segments and the granules in an overall concentric pattern. The segments meet in the central region of the crystal; both the segments and the granules as a whole are composed of several layers. Fibres appear to be composed of bundles of microfibrils, which measure 4nm in diameter and are similar to cellulose elementary microfibrils.