超级富豪也将成为健康超人

 　　If the human genome is the book of life, then Crispr technology is its Microsoft Word. The cut-and-paste technique, invented only three years ago, can be used on fledgling genomes to snip¹ out bits of DNA² and, if required, insert new stretches.

　　如果说人类基因组是生命之书，那么Crispr技术就是用来编写这本书的Microsoft Word。这种基因“剪切和粘贴”技术3年前才问世，可用于从初露端倪的基因组中剪除DNA片段，如有需要，还可向基因组中插入新的片段。

　　The amendments³ are permanent and can be passed down the generations. The technology works on mice and men; a team in China recently revealed they had partially⁵ succeeded in excising⁶ the gene⁴ for beta thalassaemia, an inherited blood disorder⁷, from a human embryo⁸. It is a wonder society is not yet spooked by what could be a defining technology for the future of humanity.

　　这种修改是永久性的，可以代代相传。这种技术可以用于小鼠和人类；中国的一个科研小组最近透露，他们从一个人类胚胎上切除β-地中海贫血症（一种遗传性血液疾病）基因的操作取得了部分成功。奇怪的是，这种可能界定人类未来的技术还未震惊社会。

　　超级富豪也将成为健康超人

　　Crispr — short for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats — is the simplest of a suite⁹ of new gene-editing technologies, and is a trick borrowed from the bacterial¹⁰ immune system. Bacteria, when invaded by a virus, deploy¹¹ “molecular scissors” — a DNA-cutting enzyme¹² that chops up the invader¹³. Pair the scissors with a guiding molecule¹⁴ capable of directing the blades to a specific point, and you are ready to edit a genome. After the DNA is severed¹⁵, cellular¹⁶ repair machinery¹⁷ kicks in to close the gap and the embryo continues to develop. This is how the Chinese scientists banished¹⁸ the mutant gene from their human embryo.

　　Crispr是“规律成簇的间隔短回文重复”(clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)的简称，是一套新的基因编辑技术中最简单的一种，借鉴了细菌的免疫系统。当细菌遭到病毒的入侵时，会使用“分子剪刀”——一种DNA内切酶来切掉入侵者。将分子剪刀与一个能将“刀锋”引导到特定点的分子进行配对，你就能够对基因组进行编辑了。DNA被切除后，细胞修复机制开始发挥作用，接合断裂的部分，胚胎继续发育。这就是中国科学家从人类胚胎中去除突变基因的方法。

　　The deletion was not perfect. It was carried out in a non-viable embryo so we will never know if it would have developed into a thalassaemia-free baby. Nonetheless, the research was so controversial that both Nature and Science declined to publish it. But publication elsewhere in April ignited a debate that still burns. A group of mostly US biologists has called for a moratorium¹⁹, noting that modifications²⁰ to the human germ line (changes that would be passed down generations) constituted a Rubicon not to be crossed lightly. UK scientists, working in a tight regulatory regime, are loath²¹ to back this call given the risk to basic science.

　　这一切除还不完美。由于实验是在一个不能存活的胚胎上进行的，我们永远无从得知这个胚胎能否发育成一个不会患地中海贫血症的婴儿。尽管如此，这项研究极富争议性，以至于《自然》(Nature)和《科学》(Science)都拒绝发表这项研究。但该研究今年4月发表在别处，引发了一场仍在激烈展开的辩论。以美国生物学家为主的一组科学家呼吁中止研究，指出对人类生殖细胞系的修改（这种修改会代代相传）是一条不可轻率跨过的界线。在严格的监管制度下工作的英国科学家考虑到对基础科学构成的风险，不愿呼应前者的呼吁。

　　This reluctance²² to impede²³ fundamental research is shared by Jennifer Doudna of University of California, Berkeley, who co-invented Crispr and won a $3m Breakthrough prize last year (she is also tipped for a Nobel). US politicians, however, are twitchy; a proposal being considered in Congress would ban the Food and Drug Administration from approving clinical applications in human embryos²⁴.

　　美国加州大学伯克利分校(University of California, Berkeley)的珍妮弗?杜德纳(Jennifer Doudna)也不太情愿阻碍基础研究，她是Crispr技术的发明者之一，去年赢得了300万美元的“突破奖”(Breakthrough Prize)（很多人认为她还将获得诺贝尔奖）。然而，美国政界人士焦虑不安；国会正在考虑一项禁止美国食品药品监督管理局(FDA)批准人类胚胎相关临床应用的法案。

　　The cancellation²⁵ of human disease at genome level, which affects an individual and all their descendants, requires contemplation beyond the laboratory — by philosophers, lawyers, clerics and the public. This has been absent. In the UK there has been febrile discussion over the prospect²⁶ of creating “three-parent babies”using donated mitochondrial DNA; but genome editing could be capable of far greater things, and affects nuclear DNA — from which we derive²⁷ our genetic²⁸ identity.

　　在基因组层面消除人类疾病，将影响个人及其所有后代，这需要实验室以外的社会各界进行考量——哲学家、律师、宗教人士和公众。而这些人现在缺席。在英国，人们正在热烈讨论使用捐献的线粒体DNA生育“三亲婴儿”的前景；但基因组编辑能够做到更加伟大的事情，它会影响我们获得遗传特征的来源——核DNA。

　　Inserting new genes²⁹, which has yet to be carried out in human embryos, raises further questions. If, in one embryo, I paste in a royal flush of genes conferring resistance to Ebola, cancer and Alzheimer’s, have I created a superhuman? Will perfect health become the preserve of the super-rich? Start-ups such as Editas Medicine of the US are already gambling³⁰ on this. We may one day have unaltered people living alongside a younger, gene-edited generation.

　　目前新基因插入还未在人类胚胎上进行过，这种技术提出了更多问题。如果我向一个胚胎插入一套基因，使其获得对埃博拉、癌症和阿尔茨海默病的抗性，我是否创造了一个超人？完美的健康会不会成为超级富豪的专属？美国的Editas Medicine等初创公司已经启动这场豪赌。有一天，未曾进行基因修改的人或许会和更年轻、进行过基因编辑的一代人共同生活在一个世界上。

　　That the discussion has not gone fully³¹ public might be because genome- editing technology is complex — and because, un?like with mitochondrial disease, there are no heart-wrenching personal tales on which to hang the debate. The Nuffield Council on Bioethics, a UK-based charity, is considering genome-editing; its views cannot come too soon.

　　这场讨论还未完全公开，或许是因为基因编辑技术比较复杂，也可能是因为不像线粒体疾病的相关技术，这场辩论无法用催人泪下的个人故事大做文章。英国慈善机构纳菲尔德生命伦理委员会(Nuffield Council on Bioethics)正在考虑基因组编辑；该委员会的意见让人期待。

　　Imagining ourselves as glorified³² books, penned in the language of genes, is a fitting analogy as we muddle³³ on. At some point, society must decide whether any person deserves to be a perfect piece of prose, or whether we should each remain an unedited thriller³⁴ with an unpredictable ending.

　　在我们继续摸索之际，一个合适的类比是把我们自己想象成一本用基因语言书写的精彩的书。在某个时间点，社会必须决定，是不是有任何人应该成为一篇完美的散文，还是该保持现状，继续做一篇未经编辑的、结尾不可预测的惊险小说？

1 snip   

n.便宜货，廉价货，剪，剪断

参考例句：

• He has now begun to snip away at the piece of paper.现在他已经开始剪这张纸。
• The beautifully made briefcase is a snip at £74.25.这个做工精美的公文包售价才74.25英镑，可谓物美价廉。

2 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

3 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

4 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

5 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

6 excising   

v.切除，删去( excise的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The censor insisted on excising the passage from the film. 电影审查员坚持剪去影片的这一段。 来自辞典例句
• This contradiction embodied uncertain life value idea and excising state. 在这种矛盾冲突中又体现了不确定性的人生价值观和生存处境。 来自互联网

7 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

8 embryo   

n.胚胎，萌芽的事物

参考例句：

• They are engaging in an embryo research.他们正在进行一项胚胎研究。
• The project was barely in embryo.该计划只是个雏形。

9 suite   

n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员

参考例句：

• She has a suite of rooms in the hotel.她在那家旅馆有一套房间。
• That is a nice suite of furniture.那套家具很不错。

10 bacterial   

a.细菌的

参考例句：

• Bacterial reproduction is accelerated in weightless space. 在失重的空间，细菌繁殖加快了。
• Brain lesions can be caused by bacterial infections. 大脑损伤可能由细菌感染引起。

11 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

12 enzyme   

n.酵素，酶

参考例句：

• Above a certain temperature,the enzyme molecule will become unfolded.超过一定温度，酶分子将会展开。
• An enzyme that dissolves the fibrin of blood clots.能溶解血凝块中的纤维的酶。

13 invader   

n.侵略者，侵犯者，入侵者

参考例句：

• They suffered a lot under the invader's heel.在侵略者的铁蹄下，他们受尽了奴役。
• A country must have the will to repel any invader.一个国家得有决心击退任何入侵者。

14 molecule   

n.分子，克分子

参考例句：

• A molecule of water is made up of two atoms of hygrogen and one atom of oxygen.一个水分子是由P妈̬f婘̬ 妈̬成的。
• This gives us the structural formula of the molecule.这种方式给出了分子的结构式。

15 severed   

v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂

参考例句：

• The doctor said I'd severed a vessel in my leg. 医生说我割断了腿上的一根血管。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We have severed diplomatic relations with that country. 我们与那个国家断绝了外交关系。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 cellular   

adj.移动的；细胞的，由细胞组成的

参考例句：

• She has a cellular telephone in her car.她的汽车里有一部无线通讯电话机。
• Many people use cellular materials as sensitive elements in hygrometers.很多人用蜂窝状的材料作为测量温度的传感元件。

17 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

18 banished   

v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was banished to Australia, where he died five years later. 他被流放到澳大利亚，五年后在那里去世。
• He was banished to an uninhabited island for a year. 他被放逐到一个无人居住的荒岛一年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 moratorium   

n.(行动、活动的)暂停(期)，延期偿付

参考例句：

• The government has called for a moratorium on weapons testing.政府已要求暂停武器试验。
• We recommended a moratorium on two particular kinds of experiments.我们建议暂禁两种特殊的实验。

20 modifications   

n.缓和( modification的名词复数 )；限制；更改；改变

参考例句：

• The engine was pulled apart for modifications and then reassembled. 发动机被拆开改型，然后再组装起来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The original plan had undergone fairly extensive modifications. 原计划已经作了相当大的修改。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 loath   

adj.不愿意的；勉强的

参考例句：

• The little girl was loath to leave her mother.那小女孩不愿离开她的母亲。
• They react on this one problem very slow and very loath.他们在这一问题上反应很慢，很不情愿。

22 reluctance   

n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿

参考例句：

• The police released Andrew with reluctance.警方勉强把安德鲁放走了。
• He showed the greatest reluctance to make a reply.他表示很不愿意答复。

23 impede   

v.妨碍，阻碍，阻止

参考例句：

• One shouldn't impede other's progress.一个人不应该妨碍他人进步。
• The muddy roads impede our journey.我们的旅游被泥泞的道路阻挠了。

24 embryos   

n.晶胚；胚，胚胎( embryo的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Somatic cells of angiosperms enter a regenerative phase and behave like embryos. 被子植物体细胞进入一个生殖阶段，而且其行为象胚。 来自辞典例句
• Evolution can explain why human embryos look like gilled fishes. 进化论能够解释为什么人类的胚胎看起来象除去了内脏的鱼一样。 来自辞典例句

25 cancellation   

n.删除，取消

参考例句：

• Heavy seas can cause cancellation of ferry services.海上风浪太大，可能须要取消渡轮服务。
• Her cancellation of her trip to Paris upset our plan.她取消了巴黎之行打乱了我们的计划。

26 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

27 derive   

v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自

参考例句：

• We derive our sustenance from the land.我们从土地获取食物。
• We shall derive much benefit from reading good novels.我们将从优秀小说中获得很大好处。

28 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

29 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

30 gambling   

n.赌博；投机

参考例句：

• They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
• The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。

31 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

32 glorified   

美其名的，变荣耀的

参考例句：

• The restaurant was no more than a glorified fast-food cafe. 这地方美其名曰餐馆，其实只不过是个快餐店而已。
• The author glorified the life of the peasants. 那个作者赞美了农民的生活。

33 muddle   

n.困惑，混浊状态；vt.使混乱，使糊涂，使惊呆；vi.胡乱应付，混乱

参考例句：

• Everything in the room was in a muddle.房间里每一件东西都是乱七八糟的。
• Don't work in a rush and get into a muddle.克服忙乱现象。

34 thriller   

n.惊险片，恐怖片

参考例句：

• He began by writing a thriller.That book sold a million copies.他是写惊险小说起家的。那本书卖了一百万册。
• I always take a thriller to read on the train.我乘火车时，总带一本惊险小说看。