Which sugar units are typically present in amylose?

Amylose is a polysaccharide and a component of starch, primarily made up of long chains of glucose units linked together by α-1,4 glycosidic bonds. It is important to note that the number of glucose units in amylose can vary widely, but on average, amylose molecules contain a significant number of glucose units.

The choice indicating that amylose typically comprises roughly 2,000 glucose units is aligned with the common structural understanding of amylose. While the actual number can be variable depending on the source and specific conditions, research commonly finds that amylose chains can consist of several hundred to several thousand glucose units in length, with many approximating around 2,000 units in various types of natural starches.

This averages out to a range that is much higher than the other options provided, which either overestimate or underestimate the average glucan chain lengths found in amylose. The other choices either restrict the number of glucose units too strictly or do not accurately represent the typical range due to the inherent variability in amylose structures.