Question

Which of the following is NOT a Polymer of Glucose?

• A. Glycogen
• B. Cellulose
• C. Amylase
• D. Insulin

Hint:

Suffix check: "-ose" usually indicates a sugar/carbohydrate (Glucose, Cellulose). "-ase" usually indicates an enzyme/protein (Amylase, Lipase). Insulin is a peptide hormone.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
A polymer of glucose is a polysaccharide made of repeating glucose units linked by glycosidic bonds. Examples include starch (amylose and amylopectin), glycogen, and cellulose. In contrast, proteins are polymers of amino acids, and nucleic acids are polymers of nucleotides.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
- Glycogen (Option 1): A highly branched polymer of \(\alpha\)-D-glucose. It serves as the primary energy storage molecule in animals and fungi.
- Cellulose (Option 2): A linear polymer of \(\beta\)-D-glucose units. It is the structural component of the primary cell wall of green plants.
- Amylase (Option 3): This is an enzyme (a protein) that catalyzes the hydrolysis of starch into sugars. It is composed of amino acids. (Note: The student might confuse this with Amylose, which is a polymer of glucose).
- Insulin (Option 4): A peptide hormone produced by the pancreas. It is a protein composed of 51 amino acids arranged in two chains. It regulates carbohydrate metabolism but is not a carbohydrate itself.
Both Amylase and Insulin are proteins. However, in most agriculture and basic science exams, Insulin is the "classic" answer used to distinguish proteins from polysaccharides. Amylase is often included to test if the student confuses it with Amylose. Since the question asks for "NOT a polymer," and Insulin is a fundamental protein hormone, it is the intended answer.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Insulin is a protein hormone composed of amino acids, not a glucose-based polysaccharide.