Mirror-image Biological Molecules

The homochirality of biological molecules is a hallmark of all terrestrial life. Whether life's dependence on D-ribose nucleic acids and L-amino acids was required for the origins of life, or merely a chance event on prebiotic Earth remains unclear. Despite the challenges in elucidating the cause for homochirality, accumulating evidence suggests the possibility of synthesizing mirror-image life based on L-ribose nucleic acids and D-amino acids. Here we briefly summarize the recent findings in mirror-image biology and discuss the prospects of building mirror-image life in the laboratory using newly developed mirror-image molecular tools.