chirality of aminoacids

Luis (candeias@graylab.ac.uk)
Tue, 30 Jan 1996 17:16:10 +0100

Hi, everybody!
Here's a small detail concerning the Introduction to Amino Acids:
>From the Stereochemistry section, you might get the wrong idea that all=20
natural amino acids are laevorotatory. They are not. (See the table in=20
Lehninger, Biochemistry, chapter 4) The L- and D- classification is an=20
absolute one, as against the (+) and (-) which is phenomenologic. It is=20
based on analogy with glyceraldehyde, a simple chiral molecule for which the=
=20
laevorotatory enantiomer is called L- and the dextrorotatory enantiomer is=
=20
called D-.

(This was a contribution from a physical chemist. If anybody is interested=
=20
in knowing more about the chemist's view of chirality, including R and S=20
classification, I can try to put together a html document.)

Luis
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=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
- \ Luis Pedro Candeias
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