Spontaneous mirror symmetry breaking and origin of biological homochirality

Ribó, Josep M.; Hochberg, David; Crusats, Joaquim; El‐Hachemi, Zoubir; Moyano, Albert

doi:10.1098/rsif.2017.0699

Cited by 59 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 70 publications

(112 reference statements)

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“…Similarly, during the polymerization of RNA, either template-directed or surface-mediated, it is the monomers (residues) already in the polymer that select the 'right' monomers to be incorporated in the next step, and the racemization of nucleotide precursors in the circumstance would transfer the opposite type into the 'right' one (see Fig 1). Interestingly, similar ideas were expressed in a recent review in this area, proposing the possibility of formation of chirality-deviation at the polymer level (though presented in a more abstract context-without a concrete scenario associated with nucleotides and RNA) [40].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

The origin of biological homochirality along with the origin of life

Chen

2020

PLoS Comput Biol

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How homochirality concerning biopolymers (DNA/RNA/proteins) could have originally occurred (i.e., arisen from a non-life chemical world, which tended to be chirality-symmetric) is a long-standing scientific puzzle. For many years, people have focused on exploring plausible physic-chemical mechanisms that may have led to prebiotic environments biased to one chiral type of monomers (e.g., D-nucleotides against L-nucleotides; L-amino-acids against D-amino-acids)-which should have then assembled into corresponding polymers with homochirality, but as yet have achieved no convincing advance. Here we show, by computer simulation-with a model based on the RNA world scenario, that the biased-chirality may have been established at polymer level instead, just deriving from a racemic mixture of monomers (i.e., equally with the two chiral types). In other words, the results suggest that the homochirality may have originated along with the advent of biopolymers during the origin of life, rather than somehow at the level of monomers before the origin of life.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

The origin of biological homochirality along with the origin of life

Chen

2020

PLoS Comput Biol

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“…Note furthermore that the input/output unreactive flow of resource A plays no role whatsoever in the production of entropy, since Equation (13) does not depend on j5>0. At least one open productive unidirectional pathway must be operative in order that the system produce entropy [23].…”

Section: Entropy Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Entropic Analysis of Mirror Symmetry Breaking in Chiral Hypercycles

Hochberg

Ribó

2019

Life

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Replicators are fundamental to the origin of life and evolvability. Biology exhibits homochirality: only one of two enantiomers is used in proteins and nucleic acids. Thermodynamic studies of chemical replicators able to lead to homochirality shed valuable light on the origin of homochirality and life in conformity with the underlying mechanisms and constraints. In line with this framework, enantioselective hypercyclic replicators may lead to spontaneous mirror symmetry breaking (SMSB) without the need for additional heterochiral inhibition reactions, which can be an obstacle for the emergence of evolutionary selection properties. We analyze the entropy production of a two-replicator system subject to homochiral cross-catalysis which can undergo SMSB in an open-flow reactor. The entropy exchange with the environment is provided by the input and output matter flows, and is essential for balancing the entropy production at the non-equilibrium stationary states. The partial entropy contributions, associated with the individual elementary flux modes, as defined by stoichiometric network analysis (SNA), describe how the system’s internal currents evolve, maintaining the balance between entropy production and exchange, while minimizing the entropy production after the symmetry breaking transition. We validate the General Evolution Criterion, stating that the change in the chemical affinities proceeds in a way as to lower the value of the entropy production.

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“…The responses of achiral molecules and its chiral assemblies to external stimulation can be also used to manipulate the supramolecular chirality after symmetry breaking. The J-aggregates of achiral amphiphilic porphyrins, such as 4-sulfonatophenyl and arylmeso-substituted porphyrins, may be the most representative model for the study of hydrodynamic forces [106,125]. Figure 4 illustrates the ground-breaking work of Ribo et al in which the chiral signal of porphyrin aggregates can be controlled by vortex motion during self-assembly process [14].…”

Section: Selection and Control Of Supramolecular Chirality During Symmentioning

confidence: 99%

Symmetry Breaking in Self-Assembled Nanoassemblies

Sang

Liu

2019

Symmetry

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The origin of biological homochirality, e.g., life selects the L-amino acids and D-sugar as molecular component, still remains a big mystery. It is suggested that mirror symmetry breaking plays an important role. Recent researches show that symmetry breaking can also occur at a supramolecular level, where the non-covalent bond was crucial. In these systems, equal or unequal amount of the enantiomeric nanoassemblies could be formed from achiral molecules. In this paper, we presented a brief overview regarding the symmetry breaking from dispersed system to gels, solids, and at interfaces. Then we discuss the rational manipulation of supramolecular chirality on how to induce and control the homochirality in the self-assembly system. Those physical control methods, such as Viedma ripening, hydrodynamic macro- and micro-vortex, superchiral light, and the combination of these technologies, are specifically discussed. It is hoped that the symmetry breaking at a supramolecular level could provide useful insights into the understanding of natural homochirality and further designing as well as controlling of functional chiral materials.

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Spontaneous mirror symmetry breaking and origin of biological homochirality

Cited by 59 publications

References 70 publications

The origin of biological homochirality along with the origin of life

The origin of biological homochirality along with the origin of life

Entropic Analysis of Mirror Symmetry Breaking in Chiral Hypercycles

Symmetry Breaking in Self-Assembled Nanoassemblies

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