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Multiple Choice
Which of the following structures represents a phosphorylated subunit of glycogen as described in the passage?
A
A glucose residue within glycogen with a phosphate group attached to the C6 position (glucose-6-phosphate)
B
A glycogen phosphorylase subunit with a phosphate group covalently attached to a serine residue
C
A glucose residue within glycogen with a phosphate group attached to the C1 position (glucose-1-phosphate)
D
A branch point in glycogen where two glucose residues are linked by an $oldsymbol{ext{α}}$-1,6-glycosidic bond
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the context of the problem. Glycogen phosphorylase is an enzyme involved in glycogen breakdown. It is regulated by phosphorylation, which activates the enzyme. The phosphorylation occurs on a specific amino acid residue, typically serine, within the enzyme's structure.
Step 2: Analyze the options provided. The question asks for the structure that represents a phosphorylated subunit of glycogen. This implies the focus is on the enzyme glycogen phosphorylase, not the glucose residues within glycogen.
Step 3: Eliminate incorrect options. Glucose-6-phosphate and glucose-1-phosphate are intermediates in glycogen metabolism but do not represent the phosphorylated subunit of glycogen phosphorylase. Similarly, the branch point in glycogen with an α-1,6-glycosidic bond is a structural feature of glycogen, not the enzyme.
Step 4: Focus on the correct option. Glycogen phosphorylase is activated by the covalent attachment of a phosphate group to a serine residue within its structure. This phosphorylation alters the enzyme's conformation, enabling it to catalyze the breakdown of glycogen.
Step 5: Conclude that the correct answer is the glycogen phosphorylase subunit with a phosphate group covalently attached to a serine residue, as this represents the phosphorylated form of the enzyme involved in glycogen metabolism.