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科学美国人60秒 SSS Protein Test Could Complement Crime Scene DNA Analysis

时间:2017-03-03 09:03:04

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(单词翻译)

 

DNA1 analysis is a staple2 of crime scenes—and crime shows, like HBO's The Night of or the old standby, CSI:

"We just need to get this to the DNA lab, confirm it's the victim's blood. And then, case closed."

And it's not just for crime: DNA sequencing also helps determine our relationship to Neandertals, and our primate3 cousins.

Problem is, DNA's a relatively4 fragile molecule—it doesn't last forever. What's more sturdy is protein. So now researchers have come up with a way to use protein in a similar way to DNA: to link an individual to a piece of evidence or to determine ethnic5 background.

The protein source these scientists studied was human hair, from 76 individuals of European-American, African-American and Kenyan descent. And they determined6 that the variation of a couple hundred proteins in a person's hair could be enough to single her out from a group of one million individuals. 

The way it works is that proteins are made according to the instructions in DNA. So one individual's genetic7 variations can result in slightly different proteins being made, compared to another individual. And by determining the protein composition, the scientists can then extrapolate info about the DNA. The results are in the journal PLoS ONE. [Glendon J. Parker et al., Demonstration8 of Protein-Based Human Identification Using the Hair Shaft9 Proteome]

The researchers say the technique still is not ready for prime-time—ideally the process needs to be more sensitive, to avoid consuming valuable crime scene or archaeological samples in the analysis. And the statistics behind the technique need to be validated10. But someday, they say, it could come within a hair of DNA analysis. 

—Christopher Intagliata


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1 DNA 4u3z1l     
(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 staple fGkze     
n.主要产物,常用品,主要要素,原料,订书钉,钩环;adj.主要的,重要的;vt.分类
参考例句:
  • Tea is the staple crop here.本地产品以茶叶为大宗。
  • Potatoes are the staple of their diet.土豆是他们的主要食品。
3 primate A1YzI     
n.灵长类(目)动物,首席主教;adj.首要的
参考例句:
  • 14 percent of primate species are highly endangered.14%的灵长类物种处于高度濒危状态。
  • The woolly spider monkey is the largest primate in the Americas.绒毛蛛猴是美洲最大的灵长类动物。
4 relatively bkqzS3     
adv.比较...地,相对地
参考例句:
  • The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
  • The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。
5 ethnic jiAz3     
adj.人种的,种族的,异教徒的
参考例句:
  • This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏,这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
  • The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。
6 determined duszmP     
adj.坚定的;有决心的
参考例句:
  • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
  • He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
7 genetic PgIxp     
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。
8 demonstration 9waxo     
n.表明,示范,论证,示威
参考例句:
  • His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
  • He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。
9 shaft YEtzp     
n.(工具的)柄,杆状物
参考例句:
  • He was wounded by a shaft.他被箭击中受伤。
  • This is the shaft of a steam engine.这是一个蒸汽机主轴。
10 validated c9e825f4641cd3bec0ba01a0c2d67755     
v.证实( validate的过去式和过去分词 );确证;使生效;使有法律效力
参考例句:
  • Time validated our suspicion. 时间证实了我们的怀疑。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • The decade of history since 1927 had richly validated their thesis. 1927年以来的十年的历史,充分证明了他们的论点。 来自辞典例句

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