纪录片《长生不老》 08长寿基因

For scientists like David,

对像大卫这样的科学家

yeast¹ is the perfect research specimen².

以酵母为研究对象再适合不过了

It's a simple organism with only

它是只有6000个基因的简单组织

6,000 genes⁴, a tenth the amount we have,

是我们拥有的十分之一

so it makes much easier to hunt for particular genes.

所以找特殊基因会更简单

And surprisingly almost all the genes in yeast exist in humans.

惊讶的是人体内几乎有酵母所有的基因

After seven years, he was able to identify a gene³ for longevity⁵.

7年后 他找到了长寿基因

The yeast cells are microscopic⁶

酵母细胞极小

so we look at them under the microscope

所以我们要在显微镜下看

count how many times they divide,

数数它们分裂几次

and what we're looking for were genes that if you delete them,

我们要确定去掉其中的哪个

or you add an extra copy of them, that they live longer,

或加入哪个复制体 它们会活得更久

and we found a set of genes that do that.

我们找到了这样的一组基因

They're called the sirtuin genes and really what was

它们叫做沉默调节蛋白基因

very exciting was that just adding one extra copy of a gene

让人激动的是仅需加入一个该复制体

called sirtuin could greatly

就能大大延寿

extend the lifespan of those yeast, about 30%.

延长大约30%的寿命

David had a hunch⁷ that this longevity

大卫预感这个长寿基因

gene was key to how calorie restriction⁸ worked.

是控制卡路里摄入的关键

What he needed to do was to prove the link.

他需要做的是证明这其中的联系

1 yeast   

n.酵母；酵母片；泡沫；v.发酵；起泡沫

参考例句：

• Yeast can be used in making beer and bread.酵母可用于酿啤酒和发面包。
• The yeast began to work.酵母开始发酵。

2 specimen   

n.样本，标本

参考例句：

• You'll need tweezers to hold up the specimen.你要用镊子来夹这标本。
• This specimen is richly variegated in colour.这件标本上有很多颜色。

3 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。

4 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

5 longevity   

n.长命；长寿

参考例句：

• Good habits promote longevity.良好的习惯能增长寿命。
• Human longevity runs in families.人类的长寿具有家族遗传性。

6 microscopic   

adj.微小的，细微的，极小的，显微的

参考例句：

• It's impossible to read his microscopic handwriting.不可能看清他那极小的书写字迹。
• A plant's lungs are the microscopic pores in its leaves.植物的肺就是其叶片上微细的气孔。

7 hunch   

n.预感，直觉

参考例句：

• I have a hunch that he didn't really want to go.我有这么一种感觉，他并不真正想去。
• I had a hunch that Susan and I would work well together.我有预感和苏珊共事会很融洽。

8 restriction   

n.限制，约束

参考例句：

• The park is open to the public without restriction.这个公园对公众开放，没有任何限制。
• The 30 mph speed restriction applies in all built-up areas.每小时限速30英里适用于所有建筑物聚集区。