extremely sweet sugar, which is found in many fruits. It takes the body a long time to break down fructose, resulting in a slow release of sugar, rather than a sudden rush. For this reason, it is used for diabetics.
In total contrast, glucose quickly gives the body energy, the body using this sugar to power cells.
Though their chemical formula is the same, they are so different. So, clearly, where optical isomers are concerned, the “handedness” is extremely important for their biological function.
To be correct, the theory of spontaneous generation from inorganic chemicals must explain the fact that all the building blocks in living organisms have the same “handedness”. Amino acids are left-handed and nucleic acid sugars, ribose and deoxyribose, are right-handed.
Single optical isomers can be manufactured, but there has to be a source chiral isomer or a chiral catalyst, otherwise a 50/50 mixture of both isomers is produced. This is called a racemic mixture.
Recognising the impossibility in nature, it has been suggested that such a chiral source may have come from space or that polarised light has the power to destroy one isomer. It has been shown that beta particles (electrons) caused the breakdown of D-leucine in a racemic mixture. Larger amounts of Carbon 14 than at present have been proposed for this.
This is all highly speculative, with too many ifs and buts. What is clear is that the correct isomers for life, if they were produced naturally, which we have seen is highly improbable, would only be produced in equal amounts with the wrong isomers. This could not result in “life”.
There
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