What type of bond links monosaccharides to form disaccharides and larger carbohydrates?

• A. Hydrogen bonds
• B. Peptide bonds
• C. Phosphodiester bonds
• D. Glycosidic bonds

Answer: (D)

Monosaccharides are joined by glycosidic bonds to form disaccharides and larger carbohydrates. This covalent linkage arises during dehydration synthesis, where the hydroxyl group of one sugar and the anomeric carbon of another bond and a water molecule is released. The resulting glycosidic bond can be in an alpha or beta configuration, and the specific linkage (like α1→4 in starch or β1→4 in cellulose) shapes the structure and digestibility of the carbohydrate. Hydrogen bonds are noncovalent interactions that help stabilize structures but don’t connect sugar units; peptide bonds join amino acids in proteins; phosphodiester bonds connect nucleotides in nucleic acids.