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Chirality(/kaɪˈrælɪti/) is a property of asymmetryimportant in several branches of science. The word chiralityis derived from the Greekχείρ(kheir), "hand", a familiar chiral object. An object or a system is chiralif it is distinguishable from its mirror image; that is, it cannot be superposed(not to be confused with superimposed) onto it.
Chirality is an important concept for stereochemistry and biochemistry. Most substances relevant to biology are chiral, such as carbohydrates ( sugars , starch , and cellulose ), all but one of the amino acids that are the building blocks of proteins , and the nucleic acids .
Homochirality is a uniformity of chirality, or handedness. Objects are chiral when they cannot be superposed on their mirror images. For example, the left and right hands of a human are approximately mirror images of each other but are not their own mirror images, so they are chiral. In biology, 19 of the 20 natural amino acids are homochiral ...
Biocatalysis utilizes these biological macromolecules to catalyze small molecule transformations. Biocatalysis refers to the use of living (biological) systems or their parts to speed up (catalyze) chemical reactions. In biocatalytic processes, natural catalysts, such as enzymes, perform chemical transformations on organic compounds.
Chirality timeline. Chirality timeline presents a timeline of landmark events that unfold the developments happened in the field of chirality. Many molecules come in two forms that are mirror images of each other, just like our hands. This type of molecule is called chiral. In nature, one of these forms is usually more common than the other.
A cyclic compound(or ring compound) is a term for a compoundin the field of chemistryin which one or more series of atoms in the compound is connected to form a ring. Rings may vary in size from three to many atoms, and include examples where all the atoms are carbon (i.e., are carbocycles), none of the atoms are carbon (inorganic cyclic ...
The beta sheet (β-sheet, also β-pleated sheet) is a common motif of the regular protein secondary structure. Beta sheets consist of beta strands (β-strands) connected laterally by at least two or three backbone hydrogen bonds, forming a generally twisted, pleated sheet. A β-strand is a stretch of polypeptide chain typically 3 to 10 amino ...
Developmental biology is the study of the process by which animals and plants grow and develop. Developmental biology also encompasses the biology of regeneration , asexual reproduction , metamorphosis , and the growth and differentiation of stem cells in the adult organism.