经济学人278:微生物组学 病毒防护

 　　Science and technology

　　科学技术

　　Microbiomics

　　微生物组学

　　A virus shield

　　病毒防护

　　Viruses help keep people disease-free

　　病毒能够帮助人类免遭疾病

　　THE story of the microbiome—the community of tiny organisms that coexist symbiotically¹ with people and other animals—gets weirder² every day.

　　微生物组指的就是能与人类和其他动物互依共存的微有机体群，关于生物体组的传言一天比一天古怪。

　　Until now that story, which has emerged over the past few years, has seemed one of friendly collaboration³.

　　自其前些年出现至今，已经看作成一种友好互利的合作。

　　In exchange for a place to live, bacteria aid digestion⁴ and help regulate their host's metabolism⁵.

　　只要它们寄住在寄主体内，细菌可以帮助寄主消化也可以调节寄主的新陈代谢。

　　The story's latest chapter, though, describes a different deal: between the animal host and viruses.

　　但是，关于生物体组的最新研究提出了一种不同的理论：在动物宿主和病毒的关系链之间还有细菌，

　　And in this deal, bacteria are the targets.

　　细菌是需要被消灭的。

　　Jeremy Barr of San Diego State University and his colleagues, who have just published their results in the Proceedings⁶ of the National Academy of Sciences, were intrigued⁷ by the high concentrations of viruses called bacteriophages in the mucus secreted⁸ by soft-tissue membranes¹⁰ ranging from the outer layers of sea anemones¹² via the skins of fish to the mouths of people.

　　来自圣地亚哥分学的Barr及其同事，对叫噬菌体的一类病毒产生了浓厚的兴趣，它广泛存在于软组织膜分泌的粘液中，不管是海葵的外表面、鱼表面还是人类的口腔，他们将这一发现发表在《美国科学院院刊》上。

　　Such membranes are prime targets for pathogens, which is why so many people suffer from throat and lung infections, and upset guts¹³.

　　这些软组织膜就是病原体的主要存在区域，这就是为什么许多人会嗓子发炎、肺部感染和得肠炎。

　　Bacteriophages parasitise bacteria, a process pictured schematically above.

　　噬菌体寄生在细菌内，寄生过程难以用一两句话说清楚。

　　Dr Barr wondered if they were actively¹⁴ working with their hosts to keep down the level of pathogenic bugs¹⁶ that might otherwise set up shop in the hosts' mucus membranes.

　　Barr博士觉得噬菌体或许可以帮助寄主降低致病菌的数量，防止病菌将在寄主的粘膜液中大量繁殖。

　　Regardless of which type of membrane⁹ they looked at, Dr Barr and his colleagues found about four times more phages per bacterium¹⁷ in the mucus than were in its immediate¹⁸ surroundings.

　　Barr博士和他的同事发现，无论在何种类型粘液中，每一个病菌对应噬菌体的数量要比粘液附近其他组织里的多四倍。

　　This suggested that phages are sticking specifically to mucus, and in an elegant series of experiments they found that this was true and that the thing on a phage which is doing the sticking is a “hypervariable” protein called Hoc.

　　这暗示噬菌体特定存在于粘液中，在一系列巧妙的实验之后，他们发现确实是这样并且发现噬菌体上存在一种称为Hoc的高变蛋白，正是由于这种蛋白质才会使噬菌体特定存在粘液中。

　　Hypervariable proteins come in thousands of slightly different versions.

　　细分的话，高变蛋白有好几千种。

　　The best studied is the mammalian antibody protein, immunoglobulin.

　　对这类蛋白研究最深入的要属哺乳动物抗体蛋白—免疫球蛋白。

　　Each of the versions of this protein that exist in every individual is capable of locking onto and neutralising a different invading pathogen, by interacting with different molecules²⁰ on the pathogen's surface.

　　人体内有各种高变蛋白的噬菌体，噬菌体通过识别不同细菌的表面分子，做到一种噬菌体只侵噬一种入侵细菌。

　　In phages, Dr Barr discovered, the various versions of Hoc stick to the varied²¹ branched sugar molecules characteristic of mucus.

　　Barr博士发现不同的HOC蛋白与不同的粘液特征性多糖分子的支链相结合。

　　That helps the phages, because their bacterial²² prey²³ also accumulate in mucus, which is thus a rich hunting ground.

　　因为细菌的侵染过程也是发生在粘液中，这就为噬菌体提供了大量的寄生宿主。

　　And it helps the animal host, be that host sea anemone¹¹, fish or human being, by stopping any particular bacterial species running out of control—for if a species does start to multiply, which is a normal precursor²⁴ to infection, there will be more phages around to attack it and multiply in their turn, bringing the uppity bug¹⁵ rapidly under control.

　　这也帮助诸如海葵、鱼、人类一样的动物寄主防止某种细菌大量繁殖，因为细菌要感染宿主就必须先大量繁殖，这样周围会聚集更多的噬菌体来侵噬它们，并且噬菌体开始繁殖，迅速控制住这繁殖快速的细菌的数量。

　　The phages are thus acting¹⁹ as a backup immune system for their hosts, and one whose mode of operation has a surprising parallel with that of the more familiar antibody-based system.

　　对于寄主来说，噬菌体属于免疫系统的一部分，并且噬菌体的这种免疫系统与与它很相似的抗体免疫系统不相伯仲。

　　1.coexist with 与…同时存在，与…共存

　　That is to say, it coexists with poetic²⁵ language.

　　这就是说，实用语言和诗歌语言并存。

　　That is the trick, after all, of Ms. Shteynshleyger's work: Prickly self-protection coexists with supreme²⁶ vulnerability.

　　毕竟这就是Shteynshleyger作品的技巧所在：仙人掌形的自我保护与极端的内心脆弱并存。

　　2.in exchange for 交换

　　Mr monti's big idea is a swap²⁷: liberalism in exchange for redistribution.

　　蒙逖先生的妙计是一个互换机制：自由主义交换再分配。

　　You'll get free accommodation in exchange for watering some plants and walking a dog.

　　你将会获得免费住宿，与此相交换的就是你要做一些植物浇水、遛狗的工作。

　　3.prime target 主要目标

　　It's a prime target for terrorist attacks.

　　这是恐怖分子攻击的首要目标。

　　One prime target has been cash management for chinese companies that are expanding abroad.

　　一个主要目标是在海外扩张的中国企业的现金管理。

　　4.keep down 控制；使不升起；使留级

　　They try to keep down the cost of living.

　　他们努力压低生活费。

　　Keep down, stay still.

　　保持低姿势不要动！

1 symbiotically   

参考例句：

• Lichen is a form in which green or bluegreen algae and a fungus live together symbiotically. 地衣是一种绿藻或蓝藻与一种真菌共生的形式。 来自辞典例句
• Different populations living together and interacting. Populations can interact as competitors, predator and prey, or symbiotically. 不同生物族群生活之间的互动，以相互竞争、食或共生的方式生活著。 来自互联网

2 weirder   

怪诞的( weird的比较级 )； 神秘而可怕的； 超然的； 古怪的

参考例句：

• Actually, things got a little weirder when the tow truck driver showed up. 事实上，在拖吊车司机出现后，事情的发展更加怪异。

3 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

4 digestion   

n.消化，吸收

参考例句：

• This kind of tea acts as an aid to digestion.这种茶可助消化。
• This food is easy of digestion.这食物容易消化。

5 metabolism   

n.新陈代谢

参考例句：

• After years of dieting,Carol's metabolism was completely out of whack.经过数年的节食，卡罗尔的新陈代谢完全紊乱了。
• All living matter undergoes a process of metabolism.生物都有新陈代谢。

6 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

7 intrigued   

adj.好奇的，被迷住了的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的过去式)；激起…的兴趣或好奇心；“intrigue”的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• You've really intrigued me—tell me more! 你说的真有意思—再给我讲一些吧！
• He was intrigued by her story. 他被她的故事迷住了。

8 secreted   

v.（尤指动物或植物器官）分泌( secrete的过去式和过去分词 )；隐匿，隐藏

参考例句：

• Insulin is secreted by the pancreas. 胰岛素是胰腺分泌的。
• He secreted his winnings in a drawer. 他把赢来的钱藏在抽届里。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 membrane   

n.薄膜，膜皮，羊皮纸

参考例句：

• A vibrating membrane in the ear helps to convey sounds to the brain.耳膜的振动帮助声音传送到大脑。
• A plastic membrane serves as selective diffusion barrier.一层塑料薄膜起着选择性渗透屏障的作用。

10 membranes   

n.（动物或植物体内的）薄膜( membrane的名词复数 )；隔膜；（可起防水、防风等作用的）膜状物

参考例句：

• The waste material is placed in cells with permeable membranes. 废液置于有渗透膜的槽中。 来自辞典例句
• The sarcoplasmic reticulum is a system of intracellular membranes. 肌浆网属于细胞内膜系统。 来自辞典例句

11 anemone   

n.海葵

参考例句：

• Do you want this anemone to sting you?你想让这个海葵刺疼你吗？
• The bodies of the hydra and sea anemone can produce buds.水螅和海葵的身体能产生芽。

12 anemones   

n.银莲花( anemone的名词复数 )；海葵

参考例句：

• With its powerful tentacles, it tries to prise the anemones off. 它想用强壮的触角截获海葵。 来自互联网
• Density, scale, thickness are still influencing the anemones shape. 密度、大小、厚度是受最原始的那股海葵的影响。 来自互联网

13 guts   

v.狼吞虎咽，贪婪地吃，飞碟游戏（比赛双方每组5人，相距15码，互相掷接飞碟）；毁坏（建筑物等）的内部( gut的第三人称单数 )；取出…的内脏n.勇气( gut的名词复数 )；内脏；消化道的下段；肠

参考例句：

• I'll only cook fish if the guts have been removed. 鱼若已收拾干净，我只需烧一下即可。
• Barbara hasn't got the guts to leave her mother. 巴巴拉没有勇气离开她妈妈。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

15 bug   

n.虫子；故障；窃听器；vt.纠缠；装窃听器

参考例句：

• There is a bug in the system.系统出了故障。
• The bird caught a bug on the fly.那鸟在飞行中捉住了一只昆虫。

16 bugs   

adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误

参考例句：

• All programs have bugs and need endless refinement. 所有的程序都有漏洞，都需要不断改进。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 bacterium   

n.(pl.)bacteria 细菌

参考例句：

• The bacterium possibly goes in the human body by the mouth.细菌可能通过口进入人体。
• A bacterium is identified as the cause for his duodenal ulcer.一种细菌被断定为造成他十二指肠溃疡的根源。

18 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

19 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

20 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

21 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

22 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。

23 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

24 precursor   

n.先驱者；前辈；前任；预兆；先兆

参考例句：

• Error is often the precursor of what is correct.错误常常是正确的先导。
• He said that the deal should not be seen as a precursor to a merger.他说该笔交易不应该被看作是合并的前兆。

25 poetic   

adj.富有诗意的，有诗人气质的，善于抒情的

参考例句：

• His poetic idiom is stamped with expressions describing group feeling and thought.他的诗中的措辞往往带有描写群体感情和思想的印记。
• His poetic novels have gone through three different historical stages.他的诗情小说创作经历了三个不同的历史阶段。

26 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

27 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。