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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Every villain1 has his Achilles' heel. And microscopic2 scoundrels are no exception. The challenge for those who wish to ward3 off microbial bad guys is to identify that weak spot. Now, scientists studying the toxoplasmosis parasite4 think they've done just that. They share the secret in the Proceedings5 of the National Academy of Sciences.
The toxo parasite is similar to the one that causes malaria6. So finding a way to prevent these rogues7 from reproducing is high on researchers' to-do lists. The bugs8 are tricky9 to take down, in part because they're unpredictable in the way they multiply. Sometimes they get in and get busy making babies. Other times they copy their chromosomes10 but hold off parceling them out to their army of offspring until the time is right.
This flexibility11 has benefits, but it also has a drawback: the parasites12 have to keep track of their chromosomes…even as they change their minds about how and when to divvy them up. Now scientists have discovered a structure…unique to these parasites…that keeps their DNA13 in a tidy bundle through thick and thin. Find a drug that breaks that bundle, and we could destroy these parasites' devious14 plans.
Thanks for the minute. For Scientific American's 60-Second Science, I'm Karen Hopkin.
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1
villain
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n.反派演员,反面人物;恶棍;问题的起因 | |
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2
microscopic
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adj.微小的,细微的,极小的,显微的 | |
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3
ward
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n.守卫,监护,病房,行政区,由监护人或法院保护的人(尤指儿童);vt.守护,躲开 | |
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4
parasite
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n.寄生虫;寄生菌;食客 | |
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proceedings
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n.进程,过程,议程;诉讼(程序);公报 | |
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6
malaria
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n.疟疾 | |
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7
rogues
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n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 );无赖;调皮捣蛋的人;离群的野兽 | |
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8
bugs
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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 | |
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9
tricky
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adj.狡猾的,奸诈的;(工作等)棘手的,微妙的 | |
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10
chromosomes
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n.染色体( chromosome的名词复数 ) | |
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11
flexibility
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n.柔韧性,弹性,(光的)折射性,灵活性 | |
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12
parasites
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寄生物( parasite的名词复数 ); 靠他人为生的人; 诸虫 | |
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13
DNA
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(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸 | |
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14
devious
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adj.不坦率的,狡猾的;迂回的,曲折的 | |
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