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PHYSICS OF OUR DAYS

Physical aspects of mirror symmetry breaking of the bioorganic world

V. A. Avetisov, V. I. Gol'danskiĭ

N. N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow

Abstract: Current hypotheses concerning the breaking of mirror symmetry in the bioorganic world are reviewed critically. Two interrelated aspects of the problem, matrix structured homochiral macromolecules and enantiospecific functions capable of keeping homochiral structures replicating, are discussed. Two basic approaches to symmetry breaking, namely evolutionary selection and asymmetric origin scenarios, are considered, whose underlying hypotheses are shown to be inherently inconsistent.

PACS: 87.10.+e

Received: December 31, 1996

DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0166.199608d.0873

 English version: Physics–Uspekhi, 1996, 39:8, 819–835

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