兰德-防止镜像生物产生的政策选择（英）

Most of the molecular building blocks necessary for life are chiral: They have three-dimensional structures that are different from their mirror images. All organisms on earth are partly made of chiral molecules that, similar to human hands, could come in left-handed and right-handed forms. DNA, RNA, and amino acids are all chiral molecules, and all are found only in one chiral orientation in life on earth (Blackmond, 2019; Church and Regis, 2014). Opposite-handed versions of these essential molecules can exist, but they are not used or produced by living organisms on earth (Blackmond, 2019; Church and Regis, 2014). One publication from December 2024, titled “Confronting the Unprec-edented Risks of Mirror Life,” by Adamala, Agashe, Belkaid, and colleagues (2024) identifies a radical and alarming development: Scientists are approaching the ability to create living organisms made of opposite-handed molecules, called mirror life (Bohannon, 2010; Bohannon, 2018). This group of concerned scientists (Adamala, Agashe, Belkaid, et al., 2024) describes how research leading to creation of mirror life could put humanity (as well as nearly all plants and animals) at risk. If mirror organisms, specifically mirror bacteria, are created, it is likely that almost nothing in nature would be able to GERALD L. EPSTEIN, FORREST W. CRAWFORD, SELLA NEVO Policy Options to Prevent the Creation of Mirror OrganismsExpert InsightsPERSPECTIVE ON A TIMELY POLICY ISSUEMarch 20252restrain them. The spread of mirror bacteria throughout the biosphere could kill most or perhaps all animal and plant life on earth. In particular, mirror organisms might be unrecognized by immune systems of natural life forms (Brewster and Laskowski, 1992), and infection would likely lead to uncontrolled proliferation within host tissues, resulting in death (Adamala, Agashe, Binder, et al., 2024). Human immune systems recognize many molecular mark-ers belonging to harmful organisms in a way that depends on the chiral orientation of these molecules, just as a right-handed glove fits on a right hand. A mirror organism would have molecular markers that likely would not be effectively recognized by the immune system, in the way a right-handed glove does not fit on a left hand. Natural predators of bacteria—protists, phages, and other bacteria—would likely be unable to recognize mirror bacteria. Although Key RecommendationsIn the near future, policymakers should• state that they are deeply concerned about the warnings issued by scientific experts regarding mirror organisms• pause any federally funded research programs aimed at creating mirror life and urge that other funders do the same, pend-ing further assessment of that warning• commission studies to evaluate the concerns that have been raised• encourage other interested parties to conduct studies and analyses on that topic.If concerns are not disproven by such studies, policymakers could• make the recommended pause on federally funded research permane