The Origin of Chirality in the Molecules of Life

The Origin of Chirality in the Molecules of Life
Author: Albert Guijarro
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
Total Pages: 163
Release: 2008-11-04
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1847558755

This book provides an interdisciplinary review of one of the great unsolved mysteries that has fascinated scientists for over 150 years: the origin of chirality in biomolecules. It was Pasteur who first initiated the search for a deterministic theory to explain the 'handedness' of biomolecules. His theory, that a 'dissimetric' force was involved, was correct in essence but he never saw the fruits of his labour. Current thinking tells us that asymmetry in the universe has its origins in the forces that unfolded after the Big Bang and, more specifically, the weak force. Being 'left handed', the weak force imprinted its signature on the evolving Universe. However, at the molecular level, the weak force does not provide a straightforward explanation of biomolecular homochirality. In fact, it is yet to be proved beyond doubt that a causal link exists at all. Many alternative theories have been put forward, some of them resting on solid ground, but all lacking definitive experimental evidence to back them up. Some postulate that the handedness of molecules in the biosphere arose by chance but this is hard to test. Others rely on discovering life on similar planets and making comparisons with Earth. Alternative theories have emerged from a range of backgrounds including geology, biology, chemistry, physics and astronomy. Current advances in fields as diverse as space exploration, prebiotic chemistry and high-energy physics may help to provide an answer. Important pieces of information will come from observations at the two frontiers of science: outer space and the subatomic world. Observation of distant planets, galaxies, and even actual sampling of celestial objects from beyond the solar system are projects currently underway. At the other end of the spectrum, there are experiments that study the elemental properties of matter, such as symmetry, and interactions with the fundamental forces. All these efforts will render their fruits soon. This volume unifies all the theories of the origin of biomolecular homochirality together in one source. The various chapters focus on chance mechanisms, physical forces such as the 'weakinteraction', fluid dynamics, amplification of chirality, the organic contents of meteorites and comets and, finally, the physical view of an intrinsically asymmetric universe. This complete, interdisciplinary review of an intriguing subject condenses a large and disparate range of contributions from journals in almost every scientific field. The various theories have been organized, interrelated and explained in a unified way. One of the book's strengths is its extensive use of graphic material to aid understanding the many subjects covered. It is fundamental, comprehensive and structured to be accessible for educational purposes.

Origin of Chirality in the Molecules of Life

Origin of Chirality in the Molecules of Life
Author: Albert Guijarro
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
Total Pages: 242
Release: 2022-06-10
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1839163682

This book provides an interdisciplinary review of one of the great unsolved mysteries that has fascinated scientists for over 150 years: the origin of chirality in biomolecules. Current advances in fields as diverse as space exploration, prebiotic chemistry and high-energy physics may help to provide an answer. Important pieces of information will come from observations at the two frontiers of science: outer space and the subatomic world. Observation of distant planets, galaxies, and even actual sampling of celestial objects from beyond the solar system are projects currently underway. At the other end of the spectrum, there are experiments that study the elemental properties of matter, such as symmetry, and interactions with the fundamental forces. Completely revised and updated this new edition once again unifies all the theories of the origin of biomolecular homochirality together in a single source. This complete, interdisciplinary review of an intriguing subject condenses a large and disparate range of contributions from journals in almost every scientific field. The various theories have been organized, interrelated and explained in a unified way. It is fundamental, comprehensive and structured to be accessible for educational purposes.

Amplification of Chirality

Amplification of Chirality
Author: Kenso Soai
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 212
Release: 2008-07-11
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3540778683

Amplification of Chirality presents critical reviews of the present position and future trends in modern chemical research. The book contains short and concise reports on chemistry. Each is written by the world renowned experts. Still valid and useful after 5 or 10 years, more information as well as the electronic version of the whole content available at: springerlink.com.

Amino Acids and the Asymmetry of Life

Amino Acids and the Asymmetry of Life
Author: Uwe Meierhenrich
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 255
Release: 2008-08-15
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3540768866

"How did life originate and why were left-handed molecules selected for its architecture?" This question of high public and interdisciplinary scientific interest is the central theme of this book. It is widely known that in processes triggering the origin of life on Earth, the equal occurrence, the parity between left-handed amino acids and their right-handed mirror images, was violated. The balance was inevitably tipped to the left – as a result of which life's proteins today exclusively implement the left form of amino acids. Written in an engaging style, this book describes how the basic building blocks of life, the amino acids, formed. After a comprehensible introduction to stereochemistry, the author addresses the inherent property of amino acids in living organisms, namely the preference for left-handedness. What was the cause for the violation of parity of amino acids in the emergence of life on Earth? All the fascinating models proposed by physicists, chemists and biologist are vividly presented including the scientific conflicts. The author describes the attempt to verify any of those models with the chirality module of the ROSETTA mission, a probe built and launched with the mission to land on a comet and analyse whether there are chiral organic compounds that could have been brought to the Earth by cometary impacts. A truly interdisciplinary astrobiology book, "Amino Acids and the Asymmetry of Life" will fascinate students, researchers and all readers with backgrounds in natural sciences. With a foreword by Henri B. Kagan.

Lectures in Astrobiology

Lectures in Astrobiology
Author: Muriel Gargaud
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 836
Release: 2005-06-08
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9783540223153

First comprehensive, beginning graduate level book on the emergent science of astrobiology.

Biochirality

Biochirality
Author: Pedro Cintas
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 318
Release: 2014-07-08
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3642376266

Early History of the Recognition of Molecular Biochirality, by Joseph Gal, Pedro Cintas Synthesis and Chirality of Amino Acids Under Interstellar Conditions, by Chaitanya Giri, Fred Goesmann, Cornelia Meinert, Amanda C. Evans, Uwe J. Meierhenrich Chemical and Physical Models for the Emergence of Biological Homochirality, by son E. Hein, Dragos Gherase, Donna G. Blackmond Biomolecules at Interfaces: Chiral, Naturally, by Arántzazu González-Campo and David B. Amabilino Stochastic Mirror Symmetry Breaking: Theoretical Models and Simulation of Experiments, by Celia Blanco, David Hochberg Self-Assembly of Dendritic Dipeptides as a Model of Chiral Selection in Primitive Biological Systems, by Brad M. Rosen, Cécile Roche, Virgil Percec Chirality and Protein Biosynthesis, by Sindrila Dutta Banik, Nilashis Nandi

Lectures in Astrobiology

Lectures in Astrobiology
Author: Bernard Barbier
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 414
Release: 2006-01-13
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9783540290049

This is the second of a divided two-part softcover edition of the "Lectures in Astrobiology Volume I" containing the sections "General Introduction", "From Prebiotic Chemistry to the Origin of Life on Earth" and "Appendices" including an extensive glossary on Astrobiology. "Lectures in Astrobiology" is the first comprehensive textbook at graduate level encompassing all aspects of the emerging field of astrobiology. Volume I of the Lectures in Astrobiology gathers a first set of extensive lectures that cover a broad range of topics, from the formation of solar systems to the quest for the most primitive life forms that emerged on the Early Earth.

Perspectives in Amino Acid and Protein Geochemistry

Perspectives in Amino Acid and Protein Geochemistry
Author: Glenn A. Goodfriend
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 392
Release: 2000
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780195135077

Amino Acids are not only the essential constituents of all living organisms, they also provide vital clues about life in the past. This book of contributed papers updates the science of amino acid geochemistry and replaces a classic but now outdated work, The Biogeochemistry of Amino Acids (out of print). The new book will have a wider focus than its predecessor, covering preservation of ancient proteins and amino acids, diagenesis of proteins and amino acids through geologic time and on short time scales (relevant to the preservation of museum materials), stable isotope geochemistry of proteins and amino acids, amino acid racemization, the origin of life, the stability of amino acids at hgh temperatures and pressures, and extraterrestrial amino acids. The primary audience for this book will be academics and graduate students in geochemistry, organic chemistry, archaeology, geochronology, and stratigraphy, although it will also be of interest to workers in forensic science.

Comprehensive Chirality

Comprehensive Chirality
Author:
Publisher: Newnes
Total Pages: 5635
Release: 2012-12-31
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0080951686

Although many books exist on the subject of chiral chemistry, they only briefly cover chiral synthesis and analysis as a minor part of a larger work, to date there are none that pull together the background information and latest advances in one comprehensive reference work. Comprehensive Chirality provides a complete overview of the field, and includes chiral research relevant to synthesis, analytic chemistry, catalysis, and pharmaceuticals. The individual chapters in each of the 9 volumes provide an in depth review and collection of references on definition, technology, applications and a guide/links to the related literature. Whether in an Academic or Corporate setting, these chapters will form an invaluable resource for advanced students/researchers new to an area and those who need further background or answers to a particular problem, particularly in the development of drugs. Chirality research today is a central theme in chemistry and biology and is growing in importance across a number of disciplinary boundaries. These studies do not always share a unique identifying factor or subject themselves to clear and concise definitions. This work unites the different areas of research and allows anyone working or researching in chiral chemistry to navigate through the most essential concepts with ease, saving them time and vastly improving their understanding. The field of chirality counts several journals that are directly and indirectly concerned with the field. There is no reference work that encompasses the entire field and unites the different areas of research through deep foundational reviews. Comprehensive Chirality fills this vacuum, and can be considered the definitive work. It will help users apply context to the diverse journal literature offering and aid them in identifying areas for further research and/or for solving problems. Chief Editors, Hisashi Yamamoto (University of Chicago) and Erick Carreira (ETH Zürich) have assembled an impressive, world-class team of Volume Editors and Contributing Authors. Each chapter has been painstakingly reviewed and checked for consistent high quality. The result is an authoritative overview which ties the literature together and provides the user with a reliable background information and citation resource.