VOA标准英语2011--Scientists Study Genetic Basis of Autism

Scientists Study Genetic² Basis of Autism

Scientists have taken another big step toward identifying the genetic flaws which may cause autism, a type of neurological development disorder³. In the latest development, laboratory mice have been genetically⁴ engineered to produce autism-like behaviors.
Researchers have known that certain genetic defects are associated with autism. One of the most common is known as a deletion, when a child inherits only one gene¹ or group of genes⁵, instead of the normally inherited pair, one from each parent.
In particular, there is a cluster of 27 genes on chromosome⁶ 16. Children with autism may have only one copy of those genes, instead of the usual two.
Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory used mice that were genetically engineered to have this same kind of deletion defect. Then, they observed the mice.
"What we found was really, really amazing," says senior author Alea A. Mills. "They have a number of features that are used to diagnose children with autism. They're hyperactive, they have repetitive behaviors, and they have a lot of sleeping deficits⁷."
Mills said they also studied the brains of the laboratory mice. Co-author Mark Henkleman, of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto ran MRI scans on the mice.
"And what he found was that there were eight different regions of the brain that were severely⁸ affected⁹. Interestingly, one of these regions of the brain is the hypothalamus," Mills says.
And previous research has linked the hypothalamus with some repetitive behaviors that are characteristic of autism.
So is this deletion - a missing second copy of this 27-gene cluster - the "cause" of autism? Mills says it's not that simple.
"There are a number of different genetic changes that have been found [to be] associated with autism. There could be a network of interacting players, but I don't think there will be a single region [of the genome] that is responsible for all cases of autism, from what we're seeing."
Still, putting together pieces of the genetic puzzle surrounding autism may help researchers understand the disorder better, and that might lead someday to new therapies. And the development of mice with autism-like behaviors may help scientists in the process.
The research paper by Alea Mills and colleagues is published in the Proceedings¹⁰ of the National Academy of Sciences.

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 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 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

4 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

5 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

6 chromosome   

n.染色体

参考例句：

• Chromosome material with exhibits of such behaviour is called heterochromatin.表现这种现象的染色体物质叫做异染色质。
• A segment of the chromosome may become lost,resulting in a deletion.染色体的一个片段可能会丢失，结果产生染色体的缺失。

7 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

8 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

9 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

10 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼