Chirality of living systems: a helping hand from crystals and oligopeptides.
Left-right asymmetry is ubiquitous in nature. Recent studies reveal changes in the energy and growth rate of crystal surfaces to which D or L amino acids bind, with the binding itself being dictated by stereochemical matching. Likewise, oligomerization of amino acids appears to be a chiroselective process that enables the propagation of sequences with defined handedness.[[For a definition of chiroselective self-assembly, see: M. Bolli, R. Micura, A. Eschenmoser, Chem. Biol. 1997, 4, 309-320.]] These results, along with related findings on symmetry breaking and further amplification of asymmetry at a supramolecular level, constitute new insights into the origin of homochirality in living species.
Cintas
Pedro
P
Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias-UEX, 06071 Badajoz, Spain. pecintas@unex.es
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000737:chemistry; D003460:Crystallization; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D013237:Stereoisomerism
D000596:Amino Acids; D009842:Oligopeptides; D002119:Calcium Carbonate