Mirror Bacteria

The Central Committee on Biological Safety (ZKBS), represented by the Working Group on Synthetic Biology, has intensively analysed a commentary published in December 2024, which appeared as a Policy Forum article [1] in Science. It is entitled "Confronting risks of mirror life"[2]and was supported by scientists from various disciplines. The commentary sheds light on the opportunities and risks of the potential creation of so-called mirror bacteria, whose cell components are made up exclusively of mirror-image building blocks (amino acids, sugars, etc.): Naturally occurring D- and L-forms are replaced by their respective enantiomers. Such mirror bacteria do not yet exist, only mirror-image building blocks and various cell components have been produced from these. According to the authors, the creation of complete, self-replicating mirror bacteria could become technically possible in the future. 

The technical report accompanying the Science commentary[3] discusses in detail scientific and safety aspects as well as ecological and health issues with regard to potential future mirror bacteria.

The ZKBS has reviewed the authors' arguments and broadly agrees with their assessments. In particular, the ZKBS recognises the potential risk posed by self-replicating mirror bacteria to humans, animals, plants and the environment, although this is still difficult to assess at present. The demand for a broad scientific and socially orientated debate is explicitly supported.

At the same time, the ZKBS advocates for continued research and application of biomolecules that consist of mirror-image building blocks, particularly in medical and pharmaceutical areas. Such molecules are already being used successfully in human and veterinary medicine, for example in the development of stable peptide drugs that are resistant to enzymatic degradation, thereby significantly enhancing their efficacy. 
 

published on September 22, 2025