Achiral Nucleobase Cytosine Acts as an Origin of Homochirality of Biomolecules in Conjunction with Asymmetric Autocatalysis

摘要

The homochirality of biomolecules such as L-amino acids and D-sugars is one of the essential features of life and creates a puzzle about the chemical origin of life.There have been debates on whether amino acids or sugars were the earlier class of chiral compounds.Proteins and enzymes containing an irregular mixture of L-and D-amino acids and nucleic acids composed of random D-and L-deoxyribose units do not function.