symmetry versus asymmetry in the molecules of life homomeric protein assemblies对称与不对称的分子生命homomeric蛋白质组装.pdf
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Symmetry 2010, 2, 884-906: doi:10.3390/sym2020884
OPEN ACCESS
symmetry
ISSN 2073-8994
/journal/symmetry
Article
Symmetry versus Asymmetry in the Molecules of Life:
Homomeric Protein Assemblies
Biserka Kojić-Prodić * and Zoran Štefanić
Rudjer Bošković Institute, P.O. Box 180, HR-10002-Zagreb, Croatia; E-Mail: zoran.stefanic@irb.hr
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: kojic@irb.hr.
Received: 27 February 2010; in revised form: 7 April 2010 / Accepted: 12 April 2010 /
Published: 19 April 2010
Abstract: The essay is dedicated to the relation of symmetry and asymmetry-chirality in
Nature. The Introduction defines symmetry and its impact on basic definitions in science
and human activities. The following section Chirality of molecules reveals breifly
development of notion of chirality and its significance in living organisms and science.
Homochirality is a characteristic hallmark of life and its significance is presented in the
section Homochirality of Life . Proteins, important constituents of living cells performing
versatile functions are chiral macromolecules composed of L-amino acids. In particular,
the protein assemblies are of a great importance in functions of a cell. Therefore, they have
attracted researches to examine them from different points of view. Among proteins of
known three-dimensional structures about 50–80% of them exist as homomeric
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