Abstract
A simplified mathematical model of the origin of the left-handed asymmetry of proteins in living matter is presented. The model is based on the hypothesis of Vester and Ulbricht that the chirality of (lefthanded) electrons from naturally beta-active elements, e.g.,14C,40K, etc., was the specific source of the asymmetry; it requires for its application data on the interaction of electrons having non-zero chirality with racemic mixtures of amino acids. This interaction is here treated theoretically in an order-of-magnitude calculation. Our analysis yields a very approximate value of the induced steady-state asymmetry in the amino acids at the beginning of protein synthesis and indicates that this asymmetry, though small, may have been suffcient to account for the dominant left-handedness of proteins now observed.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mann, A.K., Primakoff, H. Chirality of electrons from beta-decay and the left-handed asymmetry of proteins. Origins Life Evol Biosphere 11, 255–265 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00931391
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00931391