MEMS, MOEMS, Nano, and Bionanotechnologies - Applied Optics Fundamentals and Device Applications - page 336

chain [19]. Exposure to the physiological conditions of the solvent is affected
by the amount of shielding by the protein fold—different on one side ver-
sus the other. Specific biological function could be impacted and determined
by the solvent-determined activity of the side chains. Those side-chain pH's
could be determined by their ability to interact with the solvent.
7.5.3.3 Evolution and the Biochemistry of Life
When formed synthetically, amino acids contain equal amounts of L and D
enantiomers:
“Amino acids synthesized in the laboratory are a mixture of the right-and
left-handed forms, and thermodynamically the two forms are indistinguish-
able” [20]. This fact rather disproved the famous Miller experiments of 1953,
in which traces of nonliving amino acids were created in a mix of laboratory
gases and even represented one of the holes in the evolutionary origin-of-life
theories [21].
One theory is that electroweak interactions of electromagnetism and the
weak nuclear force, which calculations suggest, will result in a difference
in the L and D enantiomers of one part in 10 −17 , which eventually domi-
nated, although this theory is about as convincing (not very) as the idea
that earth's first biopolymers were delivered to earth by meteorites. The
lack of convincing experimental (or fossil) support leaves these as unproven
theories [22].
If the amino acids in meteorites are used as the basis to represent those
available on the primitive earth, we must account for methylation into a form
that is not biologically useful. Ron Breslow and Mindy Levine at Columbia
University determined that the very small imbalance in favor of the L enan-
tiomer can be amplified to 90% L through just several cycles of evaporation.
Also, the presence of copper in the primordial stew results in a strong initial
L bias [23].
Equally intriguing and unproven theories include the delivery of “struc-
tured water” via meteorites to the ancient Dogon Nomos in Africa. Legend
has it this water delivered the “ancient message” and contained extraterres-
trial communications that provided man (through biochemistry) with intel-
ligence. This may be the intelligence in Genesis that separated the robotic,
programmed humanoids from the reasoning man with a soul, ala “The
Origins of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bi-cameral Mind” [24].
It would seem that there is only one unique solution to the biochemistry
of life. The 20 amino acids must occur in the correct sequence, in the cor-
rect form, for life to exist in the protein structures. Because of the incred-
ibly complex series of interactions needed for the process of life, the wrong
orientation would upset the entire logical mesh represented in the human
form. While arguments for primordial bias due to volcanic conditions, heat
for evaporation, and isolated copper-laden lakes might provide the basis for
the L configuration bias and therefore an explanation for the specific L role