Chinese scientists identify deadly gene in H5N1_科学技术

Chinese scientists identify deadly gene in H5N1

文章来源：文章作者：发布时间：2006-11-08 02:28 字体： [大中小]　进入论坛

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Chickens are seen at a farm in Baokang county of Xiangfan, in central China's Hubei province, October 31, 2006. Chinese scientists have identified a gene¹ in the H5N1 bird flu virus which they say is responsible for its virulence² in poultry³, opening the way for new vaccines⁵.

HONG KONG, Nov.7 - Chinese scientists have identified a gene in the H5N1 bird flu virus which they say is responsible for its virulence in poultry, opening the way for new vaccines.

There are many different strains of H5N1, some of which kill more than half the people they infect, while others do little or no harm.

"We can now understand how this virus becomes lethal⁶ and the molecular⁷ basis for its pathogenicity," Bu Zhigao at the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute told Reuters.

The Chinese researchers zeroed in on the virulent⁸ gene after analyzing⁹ two closely related strains of the H5N1 obtained from infected geese in southern Guangdong province in 1996 -- one highly pathogenic in chickens and the other harmless.

Differences between the two strains were located in four genes¹⁰, they found.

The scientists designed four genetically¹¹ modified viruses each containing one of the four genes in question and tested them on laboratory chickens.

Only chickens infected with the modified virus containing the highly pathogenic gene died. The other chickens had no signs of disease, the scientists wrote in the November issue of the Journal of Virology.

"Now that we know the special role of the (highly pathogenic) NS1 gene, we can think about developing a vaccine⁴," Bu said, adding that a vaccine which neutralizes¹² the gene known as NS1 could be quickly designed.

"Technically¹³, that can happen very soon, but it is the tests and other procedures that will take a long time."

The scientists are from the Ministry¹⁴ of Agriculture's Animal Influenza¹⁵ Laboratory, the National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute.

H5N1 remains¹⁶ largely a disease in birds although it has killed over 150 people, mostly in Asia, since 2003. Experts fear that it can spark a pandemic and kill millions of people if it begins to transmit efficiently¹⁷ among humans.

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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 virulence
n.毒力，毒性；病毒性；致病力
参考例句：
The virulence of the café owner's anger had appalled her.咖啡店老板怒气冲天，充满敌意，把她吓坏了。 Medical authorities were baffled,both as to its causes and its virulence.医疗当局对其病因及有多致命都还不甚了解。

3 poultry
n.家禽，禽肉
参考例句：
There is not much poultry in the shops. 商店里禽肉不太多。 What do you feed the poultry on? 你们用什么饲料喂养家禽?

4 vaccine
n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的
参考例句：
The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。 She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

5 vaccines
疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )
参考例句：
His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。 The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

6 lethal
adj.致死的；毁灭性的
参考例句：
A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。 She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

7 molecular
adj.分子的；克分子的
参考例句：
The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。

8 virulent
adj.有毒的，有恶意的，充满敌意的
参考例句：
She is very virulent about her former employer.她对她过去的老板恨之入骨。 I stood up for her despite the virulent criticism.尽管她遭到恶毒的批评，我还是维护她。

9 analyzing
v.分析；分析( analyze的现在分词 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析n.分析
参考例句：
Analyzing the date of some socialist countries presents even greater problem s. 分析某些社会主义国家的统计数据，暴露出的问题甚至更大。来自辞典例句 He undoubtedly was not far off the mark in analyzing its predictions. 当然，他对其预测所作的分析倒也八九不离十。来自辞典例句

10 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

11 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

12 neutralizes
v.使失效( neutralize的第三人称单数 )；抵消；中和；使（一个国家）中立化
参考例句：
The dendrimer locks onto toxins and neutralizes them. 树状物锁在毒物表面，从而中和毒物。来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 预防生物武器 A substance, such as magnesia or sodium bicarbonate, that neutralizes acid. 解酸的，抗酸的，防酸的，中和酸的消除或中和酸度的，尤其胃酸。来自互联网

13 technically
adv.专门地，技术上地
参考例句：
Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。 The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

14 ministry
n.(政府的)部；牧师
参考例句：
They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。 We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

15 influenza
n.流行性感冒，流感
参考例句：
They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施 Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

16 remains
n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹
参考例句：
He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。 The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

17 efficiently
adv.高效率地，有能力地
参考例句：
The worker oils the machine to operate it more efficiently.工人给机器上油以使机器运转更有效。 Local authorities have to learn to allocate resources efficiently.地方政府必须学会有效地分配资源。

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