Handedness biological systems

Chirality, i.e. the handedness of properties has long been investigated both theoretically and with many different types of experimental approaches. In fact chirality is present in many different phenomena starting from elementary particles up to biological systems. A basic form of chirality is helicity a simpie exampie is represented by a spiral staircase, another by DNA. Helicity has long been observed... 

Chiral molecules are characterized by three-dimensional handedness and can exist in two enantiomeric forms of opposite absolute configuration (AC). Most natural products and biologically active compounds are chiral and their biological and molecular functions are closely related to their chirality, that is, AC and conformation. Furthermore, many drugs derived from natural products or of purely synthetic origin are currently used in enantiopure form. Therefore, the unambiguous determination of the AC of chiral compounds is critical for the studies of natural products and biomolecular systems.1... 

MacDermott, A. J. and G. E. Tranter, 1990, Biomolecular handedness and the weak interaction, in Symmetries in Science IV Biological and Biophysical Systems, Plenum Press, New York, pp. 67-124. 

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