What is the Difference Between Cellobiose and Maltose

The key difference between cellobiose and maltose is that cellobiose contains beta 1,4-glycosidic bond, whereas maltose contains alpha 1,4-glycosidic bond.

Cellobiose and maltose are carbohydrate compounds. They contain glucose residues that make up their chemical structures. But they have differences in their chemical composition and occurrence. Both these forms are reducing sugars.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Cellobiose  
3. What is Maltose
4. Similarities – Cellobiose and Maltose
5. Cellobiose vs Maltose in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Cellobiose vs Maltose

What is Cellobiose?

Cellobiose can be defined as a carbohydrate having the chemical formula C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁. It can be categorized as a disaccharide. It is a reducing sugar. That means cellobiose can act as a reducing agent because it has a free ketone group in its structure. Cellobiose has two beta-glucose molecules linked via beta 1-4 glycosidic linkage. However, it is different from maltose because the configuration at the glycosidic bond is different. We can hydrolyze this compound into glucose by enzymatic means or by chemical means using an acid.

When considering the structure of cellobiose, there are eight free alcohol groups along with an acetal group and a hemiacetal group. These groups provide the molecule with the ability to form strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds.

We can obtain cellobiose from cellulose or cellulose-containing materials such as paper, cotton, etc. Here, we need enzymatic or acidic hydrolysis of these materials to obtain cellobiose from these materials. This compound is also important in detecting Crohn’s disease as an indicator for carbohydrates.

What is Maltose?

Maltose can be defined as a disaccharide containing two alpha glucose units combined via an alpha 1-4 linkage. Furthermore, this molecule forms during the break down of starch by beta-amylase; it removes one glucose unit at a time, forming the maltose molecule. It is a reducing sugar, unlike other disaccharide molecules. This is mainly because the ring structure of one of the two glucose molecules can open to present a free aldehyde group, while the other glucose unit cannot open like that due to the nature of the glycosidic bond.

Glucose is a hexose, meaning it has six carbon atoms in a pyranose ring. In this, the first carbon atom of one glucose molecule links to the fourth carbon atom of the other glucose molecule to form the 1-4 glycosidic bond. The enzyme maltase can break down the structure of maltose via catalyzing the hydrolysis of the glycosidic bond. This sugar occurs as a component of malt and is also present in highly variable quantities in partially hydrolyzed starch products. Ex: maltodextrin, corn syrup, etc.

What are the Similarities Between Cellobiose and Maltose?

1. Cellobiose and maltose are carbohydrates.
2. Both are reducing sugars.
3. These compounds contain glucose units.
4. Both contain glycosidic bonds.

What is the Difference Between Cellobiose and Maltose?

Cellobiose is a carbohydrate having the chemical formula C₁₂H₂₂O_11, while maltose is a disaccharide containing two alpha glucose units combined via an alpha 1-4 linkage. The key difference between cellobiose and maltose is that cellobiose contains beta 1,4-glycosidic bonds, whereas maltose contains alpha 1,4-glycosidic bonds.

The below infographic lists the differences between cellobiose and maltose in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Cellobiose vs Maltose

Cellobiose and maltose are carbohydrate compounds.  They contain glucose residues that make up their chemical structures. The key difference between cellobiose and maltose is that cellobiose contains beta 1,4-glycosidic bonds, whereas maltose contains alpha 1,4-glycosidic bonds.

Reference:

1. “Cellobiose.” An Overview | ScienceDirect Topics.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Cellobiose skeletal” By Yikrazuul – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Maltose2” By NEUROtiker – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia