美国国家公共电台 NPR Scientists Release Controversial Genetically Modified Mosquitoes In High-Security Lab

 

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Scientists have launched a controversial genetic¹ experiment. They started releasing a new kind of genetically³ modified organism inside a high-security lab. It's a mosquito designed to spread a genetic mutation⁴. This experiment is taking place in Italy, and NPR health correspondent Rob Stein was the only journalist allowed in the lab as the experiment began.

ROB STEIN, BYLINE⁵: To see this new kind of genetically modified creature, I traveled to Terni, a city about an hour north of Rome. Terni's patron saint is Saint Valentine.

UNIDENTIFIED SINGERS: (Singing in Italian).

STEIN: I arrived at a basilica just at the start of this year's Valentine's Day celebrations. Terni is also home to an unusual high-security scientific lab.

RUTH MULLER: Yeah. Hello. I'm Ruth, the chief manager of the facility. Nice to meet you.

STEIN: Nice to meet you, too.

MULLER: OK, go in.

STEIN: Ruth Muller studies insects.

MULLER: We go now into the contained area.

STEIN: Muller punches a security code into a keypad to open a sliding glass door. As the door seals behind us, a powerful blower makes sure none of the genetically modified mosquitoes inside escape. We pass through a second sealed door and blower. Once inside, Muller shows me a small container made out of white mosquito netting.

MULLER: Here we have the gene² drive mosquitoes, the genetically modified mosquitoes.

STEIN: They're called gene drive mosquitoes because they were engineered to carry a sequence of DNA⁶ called a gene drive.

MULLER: The gene drive is like a selfish gene.

STEIN: A selfish gene because it spreads incredibly fast. It drives through an entire species.

MULLER: All the offspring have done these modifications⁷.

STEIN: Scientists have always tried to prevent engineered organisms from spreading their modified genes⁸. They created this new kind of modified organism using the powerful gene-editing technique called CRISPR.

MULLER: Which is like a molecular⁹ scissor which can cut at a specific site in the DNA.

STEIN: And transform the female mosquitoes into mutants - half-female, half-male. Their mouths are male, so they can't bite and spread malaria¹⁰. Their reproductive organs are deformed¹¹, so they can't lay eggs.

MULLER: The females become a bit more male.

STEIN: Like hermaphrodite?

MULLER: Yes, a kind of hermaphrodite.

STEIN: The idea would be to someday release these mosquitoes in Africa to breed with and decimate the mosquitoes that spread malaria.

MULLER: This would really be a breakthrough experiment because we would then understand what we could expect from if they were released in the wild. It's a bit of a historic moment.

STEIN: Malaria sickens more than 200 million people each year and kills more than 400,000. So wiping out the main mosquito that spreads malaria could help finally eradicate¹² the disease.

MULLER: It would be extremely significant because then you would save 450,000 children per year.

STEIN: The project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which also supports NPR. And scientists think gene-drive organisms could do all sorts of things - wipe out other diseases - Zika, dengue - save endangered ecosystems¹³. But critics fear gene-drive organisms could run amok and wreak¹⁴ havoc¹⁵ if they were ever released into the wild.

DANA PERLS: This is an experimental technology which could have devastating¹⁶ impacts.

STEIN: Dana Perls is with Friends of the Earth, an environmental group.

PERLS: We can't be taking lightly this extermination¹⁷ technology. We need to slow down. We need to hit the pause button on gene drives.

STEIN: Those fears are a big reason these mosquitoes are being tested here first inside this special lab. It mimics¹⁸ the environment in Africa, but it's in Italy where this species of mosquitoes couldn't survive even if they did escape.

MULLER: We really want to show that we work very, very sound and responsible about this new technologies.

STEIN: Muller leads me to a big, thick, metal door sealing off the most secure part of the lab.

MULLER: We will now enter the experimental chamber¹⁹.

STEIN: It's hot in here.

MULLER: Yeah, it's hot. It's tropic.

STEIN: Inside, I see a row of six huge cages. The walls are white mosquito netting that stretch from the floor to the ceiling. Each contains hundreds of mosquitoes, the natural kind that spread malaria.

MULLER: So the mosquitoes can fly around like they would do it in the wild.

STEIN: None of these mosquitoes are carrying the malaria parasite²⁰. Several of Muller's colleagues suddenly crowd into the chamber. It's time to start the experiment.

MULLER: OK, we can start.

TANIA PERSAMPIERI: Are we ready?

MULLER: Yes, please.

STEIN: As they pull on rubber gloves, Tania Persampieri, the lead technician, carefully picks up a tray holding glass dishes. Each dish contains dozens of immature²¹ mosquitoes that have been modified. I can see them squirming around in the water. She walks over to the first cage, squats²² down and picks up one of the dishes. I'm standing²³ over her shoulder.

She's sliding a glass dish filled with water and the gene-drive mosquitoes through an opening in the netting. So is that it?

PERSAMPIERI: Yes.

STEIN: You just put them in there.

PERSAMPIERI: Yeah.

STEIN: Those are the gene-drive CRISPR mosquitoes.

PERSAMPIERI: Yes.

STEIN: After she's done releasing immature gene-drive mosquitoes, her colleagues slide canisters of warm cow blood into each cage.

MULLER: We heat up the blood because this is attractive for the mosquitoes. They want to have a living (laughter) animal they can bite in.

STEIN: As the researchers are finishing up, the lights in the cage chamber start to dim.

MULLER: It's a slow dimming and also a specific light color, a very orange, very warm color, so that they really feel like having a sunset.

STEIN: That's key because sunset is when male mosquitoes start their mating dance.

MULLER: So the males makes swarms²⁵, so it looks a bit like dancing. In these swarms, one female goes in, select a male, flies out and they couple and make babies.

STEIN: Muller and her colleagues hope to know within a year whether their gene-drive CRISPR mosquitoes danced well enough to spread their lethal²⁶ genetic mutation in the wild.

MULLER: Maybe you can see already if you go a bit nearer, so now they start...

STEIN: Oh, yeah, I see a few mosquitoes starting to do their little dance in there. Oh, OK, it's very romantic that they swarm²⁴ at sunset.

MULLER: It's very romantic (laughter).

STEIN: Mosquito romance in a high-security lab near a shrine²⁷ to Saint Valentine to try to prove that a powerful but controversial new kind of genetic engineering can conquer one of humanity's greatest scourges²⁸. Rob Stein, NPR News, Terni, Italy.

(SOUNDBITE OF LIGHTS OUT ASIA'S "RING OF STARS")

1 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。

2 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。

3 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

4 mutation   

n.变化，变异，转变

参考例句：

• People who have this mutation need less sleep than others.有这种突变的人需要的睡眠比其他人少。
• So far the discussion has centered entirely around mutation in the strict sense.到目前为止，严格来讲，讨论完全集中于围绕突变问题上。

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 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。

7 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》

8 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

9 molecular   

adj.分子的；克分子的

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。
• For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。

10 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

11 deformed   

adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的

参考例句：

• He was born with a deformed right leg.他出生时右腿畸形。
• His body was deformed by leprosy.他的身体因为麻风病变形了。

12 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。

13 ecosystems   

n.生态系统( ecosystem的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There are highly sensitive and delicately balanced ecosystems in the forest. 森林里有高度敏感、灵敏平衡的各种生态系统。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Madagascar's ecosystems range from rainforest to semi-desert. 马达加斯加生态系统类型多样，从雨林到半荒漠等不一而足。 来自辞典例句

14 wreak   

v.发泄；报复

参考例句：

• She had a burning desire to wreak revenge.她复仇心切。
• Timid people always wreak their peevishness on the gentle.怯懦的人总是把满腹牢骚向温和的人发泄。

15 havoc   

n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱

参考例句：

• The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city.地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
• This concentration of airborne firepower wrought havoc with the enemy forces.这次机载火力的集中攻击给敌军造成很大破坏。

16 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

17 extermination   

n.消灭，根绝

参考例句：

• All door and window is sealed for the extermination of mosquito. 为了消灭蚊子，所有的门窗都被封闭起来了。 来自辞典例句
• In doing so they were saved from extermination. 这样一来却使它们免于绝灭。 来自辞典例句

18 mimics   

n.模仿名人言行的娱乐演员，滑稽剧演员( mimic的名词复数 )；善于模仿的人或物v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的第三人称单数 )；酷似

参考例句：

• Methods:Models were generate by CT scan,Mimics software and Abaqus software. 方法：采用CT扫描，Mimics软件和Abaqus软件的CAD进行三维有限元模型的创建。 来自互联网
• Relaxing the mind and body mimics the effect that some blood-pressure pills would have. 放松身心会产生某些降压药才能产生的效果。 来自辞典例句

19 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

20 parasite   

n.寄生虫；寄生菌；食客

参考例句：

• The lazy man was a parasite on his family.那懒汉是家里的寄生虫。
• I don't want to be a parasite.I must earn my own way in life.我不想做寄生虫，我要自己养活自己。

21 immature   

adj.未成熟的，发育未全的，未充分发展的

参考例句：

• Tony seemed very shallow and immature.托尼看起来好像很肤浅，不夠成熟。
• The birds were in immature plumage.这些鸟儿羽翅未全。

22 squats   

n.蹲坐，蹲姿( squat的名词复数 )；被擅自占用的建筑物v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的第三人称单数 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。

参考例句：

• The square squats in the centre of the city. 广场位于市中心。 来自互联网
• Various squats, lunges, jumps and sprints are incorporated for the humans. 主人们还要进行下蹲、弓步、跳跃和短跑等各项训练。 来自互联网

23 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

24 swarm   

n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入

参考例句：

• There is a swarm of bees in the tree.这树上有一窝蜜蜂。
• A swarm of ants are moving busily.一群蚂蚁正在忙碌地搬家。

25 swarms   

蜂群，一大群( swarm的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They came to town in swarms. 他们蜂拥来到城里。
• On June the first there were swarms of children playing in the park. 6月1日那一天，这个公园里有一群群的孩子玩耍。

26 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

27 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

28 scourges   

带来灾难的人或东西，祸害( scourge的名词复数 )； 鞭子

参考例句：

• Textile workers suffer from three scourges -- noise, dust and humidity. 纱厂工人的三大威胁，就是音响、尘埃和湿气。 来自汉英文学 - 现代散文
• Believe, if Internet remains great scourges, also won't have present dimensions. 相信，如果互联网仍然是洪水猛兽，也不会有现在的规模。