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Related Experiment Videos

Reflections on the ambivalent helix.

J W Galloway1

  • 1Director of Public Relations for the Cancer Research Campaign, London, England.

Experientia
|September 15, 1989
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Nature favors helical structures, but why some are left-handed, right-handed, or both remains a puzzle. This review explores examples and underlying physico-chemical, genetic, and evolutionary mechanisms driving this chirality.

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Area of Science:

  • Chirality and molecular form in nature
  • Biophysics and the geometry of helical structures

Background:

  • Helices are fundamental geometric shapes in nature, exhibiting enantiomorphism (mirror-image forms).
  • The prevalence of single-handed versus mixed-handed helices in biological systems is a significant scientific mystery.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review examples of naturally occurring helices with varying handedness.
  • To explore the underlying mechanisms (physico-chemical, genetic, evolutionary) responsible for observed helical handedness in biological systems.

Main Methods:

  • Review of scientific literature on naturally occurring helices.
  • Analysis of examples exhibiting single-handed, mixed-handed, and predominantly single-handed chirality.

Main Results:

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  • Identified natural helices occurring exclusively as one hand.
  • Observed natural helices commonly found in both hands.
  • Highlighted biological examples where both hands exist but one is significantly rarer.

Conclusions:

  • The distribution of helical handedness in nature is complex and not fully understood.
  • Physico-chemical, genetic, and evolutionary factors play crucial roles in determining the prevalence of left- and right-handed helices.