对人类基因数量的质疑

97 对人类基因数量的质疑

SCIENCE REPORT September 20, 2001: Number of Human Genes² QuestionedBy George Grow

（Start at 1'01"） This is Bill White with the VOA Special English SCIENCE REPORT.
Scientists are questioning a widely reported finding from the first (1)detailed study of the human (2)gene¹ map. The scientists (3)dispute the finding that humans have only about thirty-thousand genes.
The new report suggests the true number could be much greater. The Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation in San Diego, California prepared the report. It was published in Cell magazine.
Other scientists have long (4)argued about the number of human genes. Some believe that humans have more than one-hundred-thousand genes.
The issue seemed to be settled last February. That is when two competing teams of scientists published their (5)efforts to map the position of every human gene. A private American company called Celera Genomics published one of the genetic³ maps. An international group called the Human Genome Project prepared the other. Each group of scientists (6)estimated that humans have about thirty-thousand genes. That is about two times as many genes as some (7)insects.
That number came as a surprise to some people. They wondered how an organism as (8)complex as a human could have so few genes. It is important for scientists to identify every human gene in order to understand how cells work and what causes disease. Some scientists believed the small number of genes was good news. It meant it would be easier to (9)identify all the genes and understand how they work.
In the new study, the Novartis scientists (10)compared the two groups of human genes from the two genetic maps. They found that the two groups of scientists had identified two different sets of genes. Only about half the genes are (11)common to both groups. The Novartis scientists say this means the number of human genes may be about forty-thousand.
The director of the Human Genome Project, Francis Collins, said he would not be surprised if humans were found to have more than thirty-thousand genes. Celera's President, Craig Venter, notes that the process of discovering the real number is not simple. He said many of the genes noted⁴ in his company's study had not been (12)confirmed.
The real number of human genes may not be known any time soon. Scientists say it probably will take years before we have a list of the genes that control human biology.
This VOA Special English SCIENCE REPORT was written by George Grow.

 

(1) detailed[ 5di:teild ]adj.详细的, 逐条的
(2) gene[ dVi:n ]n.[遗传]因子, [遗传]基因
(3) dispute[ dis5pju:t ]v.争论, 辩论, 怀疑, 抗拒, 阻止, 争夺(土地,胜利等)n.争论, 辩论, 争吵
(4) argue[ 5B:^ju: ]vi.争论, 辩论vt.说服
(5) effort[5efEt]n.努力, 成就
(6) estimate[ 5estimeit ]v.估计, 估价, 评估n.估计, 估价, 评估
(7) insect[ 5insekt ]n.昆虫, 卑鄙的人adj..虫的, 虫子一样的, 对付虫子的
(8) complex[ 5kCmpleks ]adj.复杂的, 合成的, 综合的n.联合体
(9) identify[ ai5dentifai ]vt.识别, 鉴别, 把...和...看成一样v.确定
(10) compare[ kEm5pZE ]v.比较, 相比, 比喻  n.比较
(11) common[ 5kCmEn ]adj.共同的, 公共的, 公有的, 普通的, 庸俗的, 伪劣的n.[复][总]平民, 公有, 普通, 共通
(12) confirm[ kEn5fE:m ]vt.确定, 批准, 使巩固, 使有效v.确认, (基督教中)给...行按手礼

1 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。

2 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

3 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。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。