Glycogen Synthrase Lab Report

2. a) The main form of sugar found in the blood is blood glucose. When there are high amounts of sugar in the blood, glucose-1-phosphate is converted into glycogen as a store of carbohydrates through glycogen synthase. Glycogen synthase is an enzyme that converts glucose into glycogen in an energetically favorable reaction. When there are high amounts of glycogen stored, and a low amount of sugar in the blood, a reverse process of glycogen synthase will occur called glycogen phosphorylase. Glycogen phosphorylase, a separate mechanism, is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of glycogen to produce glucose-1-phosphate. Glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase are allosteric regulators, with glycogen synthase being the allosteric activator

The liver will store glycogen to help the whole body, specifically the brain. When blood glucose in the body is low, the liver will activate glycogen phosphorylase and release glucose to supply the brain with its energy needs. The liver does not break down glycogen for its own needs, so ATP and AMP are not regulators for this process. At high levels of blood glucose, insulin is released from the pancreas. This is the master signal that tells all the other processes in the body that there is too much glucose in the bloodstream and activates enzymes in the corresponding way. Enzymes will be dephosphorylated, so glycogen phosphorylase will be inactivated and glucose synthase will be activated. Glucagon is prominent when blood glucose fails. When glucagon is present, the liver quickly acts to provide glucose for the brain. The liver also responds to epinephrine to provide the brain with enough energy to think about what to do in high intensity

Muscles are selfish in the way that they only care about the energy needs of themselves. High levels of ATP signals that the cells energy levels are being met and that there is no need to touch the glycogen storage, inhibiting glycogen phosphorylase. When there are high levels of AMP, a signal that there are low levels of ATP, we need to create more energy through glucose therefore glycogen phosphorylase must be activated. As the amount of AMP rises, we will break down more glycogen to make ATP. Muscles respond to insulin in the same way as the liver, but is not responsive to glucagon because it doesn’t concern itself with the wellbeing of the brain, only itself. However, muscles will respond to epinephrine, the fight or flight hormone, because the muscles will need energy to either stay and face the situation or to run away from