Chiral Dualism as an Instrument of Hierarchical Structure Formation in Molecular Biology
Faculty of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie gory 1-2, 119234 Moscow, Russia
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Symmetry 2020, 12(4), 587; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym12040587
Received: 6 March 2020 / Revised: 31 March 2020 / Accepted: 2 April 2020 / Published: 8 April 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Symmetry: Feature Papers 2020)
The origin of chiral asymmetry in biology has attracted the attention of the research community throughout the years. In this paper we discuss the role of chirality and chirality sign alternation (L–D–L–D in proteins and D–L–D–L in DNA) in promoting self-organization in biology, starting at the level of single molecules and continuing to the level of supramolecular assemblies. In addition, we also discuss chiral assemblies in solutions of homochiral organic molecules. Sign-alternating chiral hierarchies created by proteins and nucleic acids are suggested to create the structural basis for the existence of selected mechanical degrees of freedom required for conformational dynamics in enzymes and macromolecular machines.
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Keywords:
chirality; proteins; nucleic acids; hierarchy of structures; folding; molecular machines
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MDPI and ACS Style
Tverdislov, V.A.; Malyshko, E.V. Chiral Dualism as an Instrument of Hierarchical Structure Formation in Molecular Biology. Symmetry 2020, 12, 587. https://doi.org/10.3390/sym12040587
AMA Style
Tverdislov VA, Malyshko EV. Chiral Dualism as an Instrument of Hierarchical Structure Formation in Molecular Biology. Symmetry. 2020; 12(4):587. https://doi.org/10.3390/sym12040587
Chicago/Turabian StyleTverdislov, Vsevolod A.; Malyshko, Ekaterina V. 2020. "Chiral Dualism as an Instrument of Hierarchical Structure Formation in Molecular Biology" Symmetry 12, no. 4: 587. https://doi.org/10.3390/sym12040587
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