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纽约时报 令人爱恨交加的转基因作物(4)

时间:2024-02-17 23:28来源:互联网 提供网友:nan   字体: [ ]
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Despite that, plant geneticists tend not to be overly concerned about the risks of G.M.O.s, as long as the modifications3 are made with some care. As a 2016 report by the National Academy of Sciences found, G.M.O.s were generally safe, though it allowed that minor4 impacts were theoretically possible. Fred Gould, a professor of agriculture who was chairman of the committee that prepared the 600-page report, noted5 that genetic2 changes that alter a metabolic6 pathway — the cellular7 process that transforms biochemical elements into a particular nutrient8 or compound — were especially important to study because they could cause cascading9 effects.

尽管如此,只要修改是谨慎进行的,植物遗传学家往往不会过度担心转基因生物的风险。正如美国国家科学院2016年一份报告所发现的那样,转基因生物总体上是安全的,尽管它允许理论上产生轻微影响的可能性。农业教授、编写这份600页报告的委员会主席弗雷德·古尔德指出,改变代谢途径的基因变化——将生化元素转化为特定营养物质或化合物的细胞过程——对他们的研究非常尤其重要,因为它们可能会引起级联效应。

If we don't find these sorts of distinctions very reassuring10, it's in part because our extravagant11 concern about G.M.O.s reflects something more fundamental: the fact that most of us don't really understand how genes12 work. As several scientists I spoke13 with pointed14 out, a gene1 is just a narrow set of biological instructions, many of which appear across a wide range of species. That something could be anthocyanin, or it could be a dangerous toxin15, but the knob itself isn't the problem, nor is the process by which it was added.

如果我们认为这些区别不太令人放心,部分原因是我们对转基因生物的过度担忧反映了一些更基本的东西:我们大多数人并不真正了解转基因的原理。正如我采访的几位科学家所指出,基因只是一套狭窄的生物学指令,其中许多指令出现在各种各样的物种中。它可能是花青素,也可能是一种危险的毒素,但基因本身不是问题,添加它的过程也不是问题。

In practice, of course, almost everything we grow and eat today has had its DNA16 altered extensively. For millenniums, farmers, discovering that one version of a plant — usually a random17 genetic mutant — was hardier18, or sweeter, or had smaller seeds, would cross it with another that, say, produced more fruit, in hopes of getting both benefits. But the process was slow. Simply changing the color of a tomato from red to yellow while preserving its other traits could take years of crossbreeding. And tomatoes are one of the easiest cases. Introducing even a minor change to a cherry through crossbreeding, I was told, could take up to 150 years.

当然,在实践中,我们如今种植和食用的几乎所有东西的DNA都发生了广泛变化。几千年来,如果农民发现一种植物的某个版本——通常是随机的基因突变——更耐寒、更甜或种子更小,他们就会将其与另一个生产更多果实的版本进行植物杂交,以期两者兼得。但这一过程很慢。仅仅将番茄的颜色从红色变为黄色,同时保留它的其他特性,可能就需要进行数年的杂交才能实现。番茄是最容易改变的作物之一。我了解到,通过杂交育种使樱桃发生哪怕是很小的变化,也可能需要长达150年的时间。

 

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1 gene WgKxx     
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。
2 genetic PgIxp     
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。
3 modifications aab0760046b3cea52940f1668245e65d     
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》
4 minor e7fzR     
adj.较小(少)的,较次要的;n.辅修学科;vi.辅修
参考例句:
  • The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
  • I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。
5 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
6 metabolic 2R4z1     
adj.新陈代谢的
参考例句:
  • Impressive metabolic alternations have been undergone during embryogenesis.在胚胎发生期间经历了深刻的代谢变化。
  • A number of intoxicants are associated with metabolic acidosis.许多毒性物质可引起代谢性酸中毒。
7 cellular aU1yo     
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。
8 nutrient 3vpye     
adj.营养的,滋养的;n.营养物,营养品
参考例句:
  • Magnesium is the nutrient element in plant growth.镁是植物生长的营养要素。
  • The roots transmit moisture and nutrient to the trunk and branches.根将水分和养料输送到干和枝。
9 cascading 45d94545b0f0e2da398740dd24a26bfe     
流注( cascade的现在分词 ); 大量落下; 大量垂悬; 梯流
参考例句:
  • First of all, cascading menus are to be avoided at all costs. 首先,无论如何都要避免使用级联菜单。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
  • Her sounds began cascading gently. 他的声音开始缓缓地低落下来。
10 reassuring vkbzHi     
a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的,使人放心的
参考例句:
  • He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。
  • With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。
11 extravagant M7zya     
adj.奢侈的;过分的;(言行等)放肆的
参考例句:
  • They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。
  • He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。
12 genes 01914f8eac35d7e14afa065217edd8c0     
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
13 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
14 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
15 toxin hn5wb     
n.毒素,毒质
参考例句:
  • Experts have linked this condition to a build-up of toxins in the body.专家已把这一病症与体内毒素的积累联系起来。
  • Tests showed increased levels of toxin in shellfish.检验表明水生有壳动物的毒素水平提高了。
16 DNA 4u3z1l     
(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。
17 random HT9xd     
adj.随机的;任意的;n.偶然的(或随便的)行动
参考例句:
  • The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
  • On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查,发现肉变质了。
18 hardier fcf70bcabb392c207431e8f36824a930     
能吃苦耐劳的,坚强的( hardy的比较级 ); (植物等)耐寒的
参考例句:
  • Theoretically, experiments with genes that confer resistance to disease or herbicides could create hardier weeds. 从理论上说,用含有抗病或抗除草剂的基因进行试验,可能产生更难于对付的杂草。
  • Similar fruit to Black Mission, but hardier and a smaller size tree than Mission. 类似加洲黑,但比加洲黑强壮,果比加洲黑更小的尺寸。
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TAG标签:   纽约时报  美国新闻
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