Chitin: Chitosan's Precusor

Chitin – a polysaccharide 

Cellulose found in plants is the world's most abundant polysaccaride. Chitin is the second and found in polysaccharides in many other organisms, such as exoskeletons of insects and crustaceans, such as crabs and shrimp, and fungi cell walls, etc.

Chitin’s structure is similar to cellulose. Its composed of many β-glucose molecules joined together with 1→4 glycosidic bonds. But it differs since it also contains acetylamine groups bonded to carbon 2 of the β-glucose monosaccharide. Like in cellulose, chitin's β-glucose molecules are inverted to form the 1→4 glycosidic bonds making chitin chains straight. These long, straight chitin chains are aligned parallel, and with hydrogen bonds forming cross-links between the chains. The cross-linked chitin chains bundle together to form strong microfibrils, which surrounds cells adding strength to crustacean exoskeleton, and cell walls of fungi, for example. Educational video can also be viewed here: https://chitolytic.com/chitosan-chitin-derivative/

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