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Homochirality and life
Author(s) -
Fujii Noriko,
Saito Takeshi
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
the chemical record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.61
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1528-0691
pISSN - 1527-8999
DOI - 10.1002/tcr.20020
Subject(s) - amino acid , homochirality , enantiomer , abiogenesis , chemistry , stereochemistry , biochemistry , biology , astrobiology
Before the emergence of life, left‐handed amino acids (L‐enantiomers) were selected and right‐handed amino acids (D‐enantiomers) were eliminated on the primal earth. Nevertheless, with the progress of analytical methods, D‐amino acids have recently been found in higher order living organisms in the form of free amino acids, peptides, and proteins. Free D‐amino acids have numerous physiological functions. D‐amino acids containing animal peptides are well known as opioid peptides. D‐amino acids in protein are related to aging. In this review, we describe the D‐amino acids that are present and function as D‐amino acid biosystems in our bodies. © 2004 The Japan Chemical Journal Forum and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Chem Rec 4: 267–278; 2004: Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ) DOI 10.1002/tcr.20020