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科学美国人60秒 SSS 一夫一妻制可能已写入我们的基因中

时间:2019-12-10 07:02:15

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This is Scientific American — 60-Second Science. I'm Karen Hopkin.

Monogamy. What makes one species p?air off, while members of a closely related species play the field? The answer may lie in their genes2.

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin were interested in how complex characteristics arise during evolution.

"We chose to investigate this question using monogamous mating systems because animals with monogamous mating systems are available in all of the different vertebrate clades."

Rebecca Young, a research associate and evolutionary3 biologist, who led the study.

"And we were able to find species that had independently evolved monogamy in each of these lineages."

Young's colleague Hans Hofmann, professor of integrative biology, adds:

"So we decided4 early on that we didn't just want to study a particular group of animals, like mice or fish for example or a particular group of birds, and compare between monogamy or non-monogamy there. But instead take a very broad look across vertebrates, across 450 million years of evolution when these fish and birds and frogs and us shared the last common ancestor."

The researchers chose five pairs of species...and looked to see if they could spot a signature pattern of gene1 activity that was shared only by animals that were monogamous.

And they discovered a set of 24 genes whose activity in the brain is strongly associated with monogamy...including genes involved in neural5 development, learning and memory, and cognition. The results appear in the Proceedings6 of the National Academy of Sciences.

"And again this is surprising because they've evolved monogamy independently. And their, the species have diverged7 for hundreds of millions of years from one another. So we might expect because of this distance, evolutionary distance, that gene expression in the brain would be quite different. But in fact we find this shared signature that seems to be related to the mating system of the organism."

Now, those genes may not be setting up entirely8 new patterns of behavior. They may just be building on underlying9 mechanisms10 that all species share. Take for example, pair bonding.

"To form a pair bond, one has to tolerate another individual for a long period of time."

Yet, even members of the most intolerant species have to put up with one another...at least for as long as it takes to get the mating done.

"Shrews is a great example...so they tolerate each other for about one day a year. So those mechanisms already exist in very aggressive species. But they just happen for short periods of time. So we think potentially what's going on is modification11 of these conserved12 pathways that exist in multiple different kinds of mating systems get elaborated or modified in the evolution of monogamy."

In principle, Young and Hofmann and their collaborators could have extended the study of monogamy to humans...perhaps comparing our gene expression signature to that of our less monogamy relatives, say chimps13. The results could suggest whether we should pick up a few ex's a card for Valentine's Day.

Thanks for listening for Scientific American — 60-Second Science. I'm Karen Hopkin.


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1 gene WgKxx     
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 01914f8eac35d7e14afa065217edd8c0     
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 evolutionary Ctqz7m     
adj.进化的;演化的,演变的;[生]进化论的
参考例句:
  • Life has its own evolutionary process.生命有其自身的进化过程。
  • These are fascinating questions to be resolved by the evolutionary studies of plants.这些十分吸引人的问题将在研究植物进化过程中得以解决。
4 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
5 neural DnXzFt     
adj.神经的,神经系统的
参考例句:
  • The neural network can preferably solve the non- linear problem.利用神经网络建模可以较好地解决非线性问题。
  • The information transmission in neural system depends on neurotransmitters.信息传递的神经途径有赖于神经递质。
6 proceedings Wk2zvX     
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
7 diverged db5a93fff259ad3ff2017a64912fa156     
分开( diverge的过去式和过去分词 ); 偏离; 分歧; 分道扬镳
参考例句:
  • Who knows when we'll meet again? 不知几时咱们能再见面!
  • At what time do you get up? 你几时起床?
8 entirely entirely     
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
  • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
9 underlying 5fyz8c     
adj.在下面的,含蓄的,潜在的
参考例句:
  • The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
  • This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。
10 mechanisms d0db71d70348ef1c49f05f59097917b8     
n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 );机械装置;[生物学] 机制;机械作用
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。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 modification tEZxm     
n.修改,改进,缓和,减轻
参考例句:
  • The law,in its present form,is unjust;it needs modification.现行的法律是不公正的,它需要修改。
  • The design requires considerable modification.这个设计需要作大的修改。
12 conserved d1dc02a3bfada72e10ece79fe3aa19af     
v.保护,保藏,保存( conserve的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He conserved his energy for the game. 他为比赛而养精蓄锐。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Under these conditions, the total mechanical energy remains constant, or is conserved. 在这种条件下,总机械能保持不变或机械能保存。 来自辞典例句
13 chimps 2a09048610e52de775e2fe426c063f06     
(非洲)黑猩猩( chimp的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Chimps are too scarce, and too nearly human, to be routinely slaughtered for spare parts. 黑猩猩又太少,也太接近于人类,不可以作为人器官备用件说杀就杀。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 医学的第四次革命
  • And as nonprimates, they provoke fewer ethical and safety-related concerns than chimps or baboons. 而且作为非灵长类,就不会产生像用黑猩猩或狒狒那样的伦理和安全方面的顾虑。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 医学的第四次革命

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