【读新闻学英语】“低碳”智能奶牛即将问世?科技进步面临道德拷问
2019年10月1日 14:32在现行立法下,家畜的基因组编辑仍被归为基因改造,并受到《有害物质与新生物法》的严格管制。
Scientists are about to use the latest gene-editing technology to create New Zealand's first "climate-smart" cow.
科学家们将利用最新的基因编辑技术培育出新西兰第一只“气候智能型”奶牛。
gene-editing:基因编辑
In a new $10m study, AgResearch scientists aim to pioneer dairy cattle that boast better milk production, greater heat tolerance, and fewer emissions.
在这项耗资1000万纽币的新研究中,AgResearch的科学家们打算率先培育出号称牛奶产量更高、耐热性更强、排放更少的奶牛。
emission:排放
AgResearch senior scientist Bjorn Oback said dairy cows had a "mutually detrimental" relationship with climate change, in that they both contributed to it through greenhouse gases like methane, and would suffer from its impacts.
AgResearch的资深科学家Bjorn Oback表示,奶牛与气候变化之间存在“相互损害”的关系,奶牛通过甲烷等温室气体造成气候变化,同时又会受到气候变化的影响。
detrimental:有害的
But building in the traits that would slash emissions and adapt them to a warmer world couldn't be done through conventional breeding, for the simple reason it would take too long.
但是,通过传统方式无法培育出能够大幅减少温室气体排放,并适应全球变暖的作物,原因很简单,这需要很长时间。
conventional:传统的,惯例的
That's where genomic selection and editing could speed things along.AgResearch has already developed methods to zero in on genetic gains, from as far back as the early embryo stage, which are now starting to be used in large-scale commercial breeding.
这就是基因组选择和编辑可以大展拳脚的地方。AgResearch早在胚胎早期就已经开发出瞄准基因增益的方法,现在已经开始用于大规模的商业育种。
zero in:瞄准
In a five-year programme, Oback and colleagues want to expand this concept into an entirely new platform that would combine cutting-edge gene editing technology with strategies to rapidly multiply specially-chosen embryos.
在一项为期五年的计划中,Oback和他的同事们希望将这一概念扩展到一个全新的平台,将前沿的基因编辑技术与快速繁殖特定胚胎结合起来。
cutting-edge:领先的,尖端的,前沿的
They are starting by genetically introducing two known variants predicted to improve milk production and cow comfort under heat stress. One of those variants, involving a change in the cow's prolactin receptor, was known to help with tolerance to heat and resistance against parasites.
他们首先从基因上引入了两种已知的变异,预计可以提高牛奶产量,并在高温压力下提高奶牛的舒适度。其中一种变异,涉及到奶牛催乳素受体的变化,有助于耐热和抵抗寄生虫。
tolerance to heat:耐热
The other would help cows adapt to hotter grazing conditions by lightening the colour of their coats. Once this work had been completed, the team would evaluate the gene-edited cattle to check their interventions had succeeded.
另一种方法是通过使奶牛的皮毛颜色变浅,来帮助它们适应更热的放牧条件。一旦这项工作完成,研究小组将对基因编辑过的牛进行评估,以检查他们的干预是否成功。
intervention:干预
Next, they planned to add more genetic variants linked to other beneficial traits, such as excreting less damaging nitrogen and producing fewer greenhouse gases.
Oback said these particular variants were either already known or were in the process of being discovered.
接下来,他们计划增加更多与其他有益性状相关的基因变异,比如排出较少有害的氮和产生较少的温室气体。奥巴克说,这些特殊的变异要么已经为人所知,要么还在被发现的过程中。
At AgResearch, Oback and colleagues had access to the largest genome datasets in the country, along with several major gene discovery platforms turning out new candidate variants.
The programme would also confront the long-standing contention surrounding gene-editing itself.
在AgResearch,奥巴克和他的同事们获得了全国最大的基因组数据集,以及几个主要的基因发现平台,这些平台产生了新的候选变异。该项目还将面临围绕基因编辑本身的长期争论。
contention:争论
The research team would consider whether there would even be public support for gene-edited cows, and look at how consumers might respond.
Under current legislation, genome editing of livestock is still classified as genetic modification and heavily regulated under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act.
研究小组将考虑公众对基因编辑奶牛的态度,并观察消费者的反应。
在现行立法下,家畜的基因组编辑仍被归为基因改造,并受到《有害物质与新生物法》的严格管制。
legislation:立法
modification:修改,改造
AgResearch had gained approval to develop and maintain genome-edited cattle, within the country's only EPA-approved large animal outdoor containment unit.
AgResearch已经获得批准,可以在新西兰唯一获得epa批准的大型户外动物隔离区域内,开发和维护经过基因编辑的牛。
containment:控制,封锁,隔离
Approved for 200 cattle at full capacity, the double-fenced, 46 ha unit included animal handling, milking, surgical facilities, along with portable weather stations that were required for the tests.
The research is being supported through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's Endeavour Fund.
这个46公顷的双层围栏区域获准全员饲养200头牛,包括动物处理、挤奶、手术设施,以及测试所需的便携式气象站。
这项研究得到了商业、创新和就业部Endeavour基金的支持。
portable:轻便的,便携的
surgical:手术的,外科的
你可能还想看
【读新闻学英语】这家酒吧举办同名聚会,432个Nigel抱团喝嗨了
【读新闻学英语】多亏了一只海豹,价值10亿纽币的毒品案破获了
【读新闻学英语】男婴被装进篮子从桥上扔入河中淹死,凶手可能是其父亲?
【读新闻学英语】什么人是这么洗车的?车里全是泡沫已经无法启动了……
注:本文为新西兰先驱报中文网编译/原创,欢迎转发分享;但严禁复制等未经授权的非法使用。违反上述声明者,本网将追究其相关法律责任。使用授权请联系[email protected]。
chineseherald.co.nz All Rights Reserved 版权所有
(责编:Charles)
来源 - 新西兰先驱报中文网