Chirality
Chirality
Chirality (/kaɪˈrælɪti/; from Greek: χειρ, kheir, 'hand') is a property of asymmetry important in several branches of science, including chemistry, biochemistry, physics, and pharmacology. The term chirality is derived from the Greek word for hand, a familiar chiral object.
An object or a system is chiral if it is distinguishable from its mirror image; that is, it cannot be superimposed onto it. Conversely, a mirror image of an achiral object, such as a sphere, can be rotated and superimposed back onto its original image.
In Chemistry
In chemistry, chirality usually refers to molecules. A chiral molecule is a type of molecule that has a non-superposable mirror image. The feature that is most often the cause of chirality in molecules is the presence of an asymmetric carbon atom.
In Biochemistry
In biochemistry, chirality is found in the building blocks of life: amino acids and sugars. All amino acids in proteins (except for glycine, which is achiral) are 'L'-chiral, while all sugars in DNA and RNA, and in the metabolic pathways, are 'D'-chiral.
In Physics
In physics, chirality may be found in the spin of particles, where the handedness of the particles' direction of spin may lead to different properties.
In Pharmacology
In pharmacology, chirality is crucial because the human body often reacts differently to different enantiomers of a compound. Many drugs are racemic mixtures, and it can be important to isolate the different enantiomers due to possible differences in the drug's effects.
Related Terms
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Chirality
- Wikipedia's article - Chirality
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