Chirality as a Physical Basis of Hierarchical Periodization of Biomacromolecular Structures

Abstract—A unified system of classification of levels of molecular structures of a living cell as the hierarchy of alternating-sign chiral structures that reflects the physical (thermodynamic/entropic) basis of intramolecular and supramolecular folding is proposed and substantiated. The tendencies for intermolecular chiral correspondences characteristic of the interactions between macromolecules of the same and different types at the corresponding levels of molecular organization (for protein–protein, L–L; for nucleic acids, DNA–RNA, D–D; protein–nucleic acids, L–D; and proteins and nucleic acids with L-lipids of membranes, according to the sign of chirality of the corresponding level of organization of the structure of macromolecules) were identified.