三人基因试管婴儿将合法化

 　　British MPs have voted in favour of the creation of babies with DNA¹ from two women and one man, in an historic move.

　　英国国会议员投票通过一项具有历史性意义的决议，支持用“两母一父”的DNA培育婴儿。

　　The UK is now set to become the first country to introduce laws to allow the creation of babies from three people.

　　英国现将成为世界首个立法允许三人基因培育婴儿的国家。

　　In a free vote in the Commons, 382 MPs were in favour and 128 against the technique that stops genetic² diseases being passed from mother to child.

　　下议院就这项可以防止遗传性疾病代际传播的技术进行自由表决，382名议员投赞成票，128名投反对票。

　　During the debate, ministers said the technique was "light at the end of a dark tunnel" for families.

　　在辩论环节中，部长们称这项技术将给许多家庭带来曙光。

　　三人基因试管婴儿将合法化

　　A further vote is required in the House of Lords. If everything goes ahead then the first such baby could be born next year.

　　该提案需上议院继续进行表决。如果一切顺利，第一个三人基因培育的婴儿或在明年诞生。

　　Proponents³ said the backing was "good news for progressive medicine" but critics say they will continue to fight against the technique that they say raises too many ethical⁴ and safety concerns.

　　支持者称，下议院通过该决议对进行性疾病医学来说是好消息，但批评者却说，因为这项技术会导致太多伦理和安全问题，他们会继续抵制。

　　Estimates suggest 150 three-person babies could be born each year.

　　据估计，每年有150名三人基因培育的婴儿出生。

　　Prime Minister David Cameron said: "We're not playing god here, we're just making sure that two parents who want a healthy baby can have one."

　　英国首相大卫?卡梅伦说：“我们这不是在扮演上帝的角色，我们只是在确保想要健康孩子的夫妇能如愿以偿。”

　　The method, which was developed in Newcastle, should help women like Sharon Bernardi, from Sunderland, who lost all seven of her children to mitochondrial disease.

　　这一技术诞生于英国纽卡斯尔，将帮助像来自桑德兰市的莎伦?博纳迪这样的女性，她的七个孩子都死于线粒体疾病。

　　Ms Bernadi said was "overwhelmed" by the decision.

　　博纳迪太太表示，她获悉这一决议通过时欣喜万分。

　　Mitochondria are the tiny compartments⁵ inside nearly every cell of the body that convert food into useable energy. They have their own DNA, which does not affect characteristics such as appearance.

　　线粒体是可将食物转化为可用能量的小“隔间”，几乎存在于身体所有细胞中。它们拥有自己的DNA，这些DNA不会影响外貌等特征。

　　Defective⁶ mitochondria are passed down only from the mother. They can lead to brain damage, muscle wasting, heart failure and blindness.

　　有缺陷的线粒体只会从母亲处遗传。它们会导致大脑损伤、肌肉萎缩、心力衰竭和失明。

　　The technique uses a modified version of IVF to combine the DNA of the two parents with the healthy mitochondria of a donor⁷ woman.

　　这项技术采用修订后的体外受精技术，将一对夫妇的DNA和一个女性捐献的健康线粒体相结合。

　　It results in babies with 0.1% of their DNA from the second woman and is a permanent change that would be passed down through the generations.

　　如此出生的婴儿将有0.1%的基因来自这第二位女性，而健康的线粒体也将代代遗传下去。

　　Vocabulary

　　genetic: 遗传的

　　ethical: 伦理的

　　mitochondrial: 线粒体的

　　blindness: 失明

　　modified: 修改的

1 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。

2 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。

3 proponents   

n.（某事业、理论等的）支持者，拥护者( proponent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句

4 ethical   

adj.伦理的，道德的，合乎道德的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to get the youth to have a high ethical concept.必须使青年具有高度的道德观念。
• It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。

5 compartments   

n.间隔( compartment的名词复数 )；（列车车厢的）隔间；（家具或设备等的）分隔间；隔层

参考例句：

• Your pencil box has several compartments. 你的铅笔盒有好几个格。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The first-class compartments are in front. 头等车室在前头。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 defective   

adj.有毛病的，有问题的，有瑕疵的

参考例句：

• The firm had received bad publicity over a defective product. 该公司因为一件次品而受到媒体攻击。
• If the goods prove defective, the customer has the right to compensation. 如果货品证明有缺陷， 顾客有权索赔。

7 donor   

n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体

参考例句：

• In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下，接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
• The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。