3 Review(s)

Life on earth almost exclusively uses laevorotatory or left-handed amino acids (L-enantiomers), rather than D-enantiomers. Nevertheless, with improved analytical methods, D-amino acids have been detected in a variety of peptides of multi-cellular organisms during recent years. This book takes stock of our present knowledge in this rapidly expanding research area. In a series of chapters it discusses the characterization and analysis of D-amino acids, their occurrence and function in animal peptides and proteins, some possible biosynthetic pathways, and their appearance during ageing. Furthermore, one chapter approaches the puzzling question of homochirality and life.