How many molecules of valine would be required for each glucose residue stored as glycogen? Glycogen Storage and Valine Requirements

Glycogen Storage and Valine Requirements

Glycogen, a polysaccharide composed of glucose residues, is an important energy storage molecule in organisms. The amount of glycogen stored in cells, and the amount of molecules of valine required for each glucose residue stored as glycogen, is dependent on the species and the environment in which they live (Maltseva, 2020). For example, a study in 2016 found that the glycogen concentration of the fruit fly species Drosophila melanogaster varied significantly between different environments (Ueda et al., 2016). In general, a single glucose molecule requires 1 molecule of valine for glycogen storage (Maltseva, 2020). This means that for every glucose residue stored as glycogen, 1 molecule of valine is required. However, this number can vary depending on the species and the environment of the organism. For example, a study in 2020 found that the valine requirement for the glycogen storage of the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans was higher in a low-oxygen environment than in a regular atmosphere (Maltseva, 2020). Cont…