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Racemization

Meaning

Racemization is a chemical process where a pure enantiomer, a molecule with a single defined spatial orientation, spontaneously converts into an equal mixture of its mirror-image forms, known as a racemic mixture. In biological systems, particularly within peptides and proteins, this process converts L-amino acids, the biologically active form, into D-amino acids, which can significantly alter protein function and structure. It is a non-enzymatic reaction often associated with protein aging and degradation.