Spontaneous breaking of the L, D symmetry in photolytic production and degradation of amino acids

Abstract

The radiolysis experiments of amino acids have revealed the presence of bimolecular interaction between like enantiomers which suppress their photodegradation and between opposite enantiomers that enhance the photodegradation. Based on a mathematical model, it is suggested that this phenomenon could have given rise to chiral stereoselection in biochemical evolution. © 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers.