Which statement describes amylose linkage?

• A. alpha 1-4
• B. alpha 1-6
• C. beta 1-4
• D. beta 1-6

Answer: (A)

Amylose is the linear component of starch built from glucose units connected by alpha-1,4 glycosidic bonds. The alpha configuration at the anomeric carbon means the bond forms in a way that creates a straight, helical chain rather than a branched structure. Because amylose lacks branches, its backbone is the continuous alpha-1,4 linkage, which is also what enzymes like amylase break down in digestion.

In contrast, beta-1,4 linkages are found in cellulose and are not digestible by human enzymes, while branching in starch occurs at alpha-1,6 linkages (present in amylopectin and glycogen), not in the amylose polymer. So the statement that best describes amylose linkage is alpha-1,4.