Cell chirality: its origin and roles in left–right asymmetric development

Abstract

An item is chiral if it cannot be superimposed on its mirror image. Most biological molecules are chiral. The homochirality of amino acids ensures that proteins are chiral, which is essential for their functions. Chirality also occurs at the whole-cell level, which was first studied mostly in ciliates, single-celled protozoans. Ciliates show chirality in their cortical structures, which is not determined by genetics, but by ‘cortical inheritance’. These studies suggested that molecular chirality directs whole-cell chirality. Intriguingly, chirality in cellular structures and functions is also found in metazoans. In Drosophila, intrinsic cell chirality is observed in various left–right (LR) asymmetric tissues, and appears to be responsible for their LR asymmetric morphogenesis. In other invertebrates, such as snails and Caenorhabditis elegans, blastomere chirality is responsible for subsequent LR asymmetric development. Various cultured cells of vertebrates also show intrinsic chirality in their cellular behaviours and intracellular structural dynamics. Thus, cell chirality may be a general property of eukaryotic cells. In Drosophila, cell chirality drives the LR asymmetric development of individual organs, without establishing the LR axis of the whole embryo. Considering that organ-intrinsic LR asymmetry is also reported in vertebrates, this mechanism may contribute to LR asymmetric development across phyla.This article is part of the themed issue ‘Provocative questions in left–right asymmetry’.

The Chain of Chirality Transfer as Determinant of Brain Functional Laterality. Breaking the Chirality Silence: Search for New Generation of Biomarkers; Relevance to Neurodegenerative Diseases, Cognitive Psychology, and Nutrition Science

“…Sensitivity of Chirality Transfer to Internal, External, Local and Global Conditions Symmetry transformation arising from chemical and physical origin is one of the hottest issues in the field of molecular chirality [5][6][7][8]. Before the further consideration it is essential to emphasize that hypothesis about the distinction between internal and external determinates in the living organism being very productive could become irrational in the form of an absolute opposition.…”

“…The transfer of chirality from protein to the cellular and embryonic level was suggested in several studies [145,146]. The critical role of a molecular and cellular chirality as the determinants of LR asymmetric in the animal body, and functions has gradually emerged [8]. The explosive advance in the study of asymmetric catalysis over the last four decades has dramatically altered the view on the biomolecular chirality dynamics [147,148].…”

“…The review of current studies suggests that "molecular chirality direct whole-cell chirality [8]. The chirality transfer from the molecular (cytoskeleton proteins) to the cellular level (cell wall and cell shape) was demonstrated in the bacterium [199,200,201,202].…”

“…"Chiral compounds…pose the significant impact on the understanding of the origin of life and all processes that occur in living organisms" [7]. "Cell chirality may be a general property of eukaryotic cells" [8]. "Chirality is one of the ubiquitous phenomena in biological systems" [9].…”

Introduction to provocative questions in left–right asymmetry

“…The link between single-cell asymmetry and whole-body asymmetry is one of the most exciting future aspects of this field. Inaki et al [27] have reviewed studies with model systems addressing the role of cellular chirality rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org Phil. Trans.…”