CRS Quarterly Research Database

Stereochemical Design in Lipids

Heyes, Gerald B. (1986) Stereochemical Design in Lipids. Creation Research Society Quarterly, 23 (1): 2.

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Abstract

Creationists have successfully challenged evolutionists with the evidence of clever engineering design in optically active isomers such as the L-amino acids and D-sugars found exclusively in life forms. That these resolved isomers cannot be synthesized or maintained in significant quantities outside of living organisms has been recognized as strong evidence against any spontaneous generation of biopolymers from some primeval broth. Nevertheless, the evidence found in geometric isomers is largely unknown in spite of the critical role played by this sort of stereoisomerism in living cells. Some biolipids found in cell membranes (phospholipids) are always in the cis-same side-configuration. While this geometry is essential for the proper functioning of cell membranes, it turns out that this cis configuration is not what we would expect to find in nature because it is the higher energy form. The trans-opposite side-configuration is the lower energy form and thus would be expected to be found. A creationist teleological (planning and purpose apparent in design) explanation seems to be demanded by these facts. It is true that certain low probability molecules can be synthesized in the laboratory, such as certain substituted benzene ring isomers or even cis-polyethylene. However, these only serve to buttress the teleological argument since they require intelligence in planning the synthesis, fabricating and arranging the complex apparatus, environmental control, and in carrying out the stepwise chemical reactions in the presence of highly specific reagents, using controlled (not random) energy sources. Further, the phyletic distribution of many biolipids may very well follow a mosaic pattern previously alluded to by some creationists.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: Q Science (General) > QD Chemistry > QD241 Organic Chemistry
Depositing User: Admin
Date Deposited: 18 Mar 2025 21:42
Last Modified: 18 Mar 2025 21:42
URI: https://crsq.creationresearch.org/id/eprint/626

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