The mirror image of an orange limonene molecule has the exact same chemical composition, but smells of lemon.


A chiral molecule twists in one direction or another, like the thread of a screw.

Most biomolecules in nature are chiral (sugars, DNA, proteins, amino acids, steroids).

Human proteins are exclusively built from L-amino acids which implies that all receptors are chiral.

That is why mirror image molecules can have radically different activities in the body.

[Continue reading...] [Comment]

Read factlets by:    RSS feed     Email feed

Share/Bookmark
News and blogs about this factlet:

Ken Jennings Trivia

Privacy Advertise Contact