双语新闻：研究人员表示，从灭绝的塔斯马尼亚虎身上回收基因RNA
Researchers say they have recovered genetic material from the Tasmanian tiger, an Australian animal that has long been extinct. The discovery could help scientists learn more about these creatures before they disappeared from Earth.
研究人员表示，他们已经从早已灭绝的澳大利亚动物塔斯马尼亚虎身上找到了遗传物质。这一发现可以帮助科学家在这些生物从地球上消失之前更多地了解它们。
The recovered material is called ribonucleic acid, or RNA. RNA is a group of molecules present in all living cells that is important for genetic activity. It is similar to DNA, the molecules that contain an organism's genetic instructions.
回收的物质被称为核糖核酸或核糖核酸。RNA是存在于所有活细胞中的一组分子，对遗传活动很重要。它类似于DNA，即包含生物体遗传指令的分子。
RNA carries genetic information it receives from DNA. RNA combines groups of proteins that organisms require to live and works to control cell metabolism.
RNA携带从DNA中获得的遗传信息。RNA结合了生物体生存和控制细胞代谢所需的蛋白质组。
The researchers said the recovered RNA came from skin and muscle from the remains of a Tasmanian tiger stored since 1891 in a museum in Stockholm, Sweden.
研究人员表示，从1891年以来存放在瑞典斯德哥尔摩一家博物馆的塔斯马尼亚虎遗骸中提取的RNA来自皮肤和肌肉。
Scientists have in recent years taken DNA from different ancient animals and plants. But the team said it was the first time RNA has been recovered from an extinct animal.
近年来，科学家们从不同的古代动植物中提取了DNA。但研究小组表示，这是第一次从灭绝的动物身上回收RNA。
Scientists believe the Tasmanian tiger once lived on the Australian continent and surrounding islands. It was a top predator at the time, hunting kangaroos and other animals. The last known Tasmanian tiger is believed to have died in a Tasmanian zoo in 1936.
科学家认为，塔斯马尼亚虎曾经生活在澳大利亚大陆和周边岛屿上。它是当时的顶级捕食者，捕食袋鼠和其他动物。据信，最后一只已知的塔斯马尼亚虎于1936年在塔斯马尼亚动物园死亡。
Emilio Mármol Sánchez is with the Centre for Palaeogenetics in Stockholm. He was the lead writer of a study describing the research results. The study recently appeared in the publication Genome Research.
Emilio Mármol Sánchez在斯德哥尔摩古遗传学中心工作。他是一项描述研究结果的研究的主要作者。这项研究最近发表在《基因组研究》杂志上。
Sánchez told Reuters news service RNA material gives scientists "a taste of the real biology" involving the cells and tissues of the Tasmanian tigers before they went extinct.
Sánchez告诉路透社，RNA材料让科学家们“尝到了真正的生物学”，涉及塔斯马尼亚虎灭绝前的细胞和组织。
Marc Friedländer of Stockholm University was a co-writer of the study. He said, "If we want to understand extinct species, we need to understand what gene complements they have and also what the genes were doing, and which were active."
Marc Friedlä；斯德哥尔摩大学的安德是这项研究的合著者。他说：“如果我们想了解灭绝的物种，我们需要了解它们有什么基因互补，以及这些基因在做什么，哪些是活跃的。”
Researchers have questioned how long RNA could survive at room temperature. The remains stored at the Swedish Natural History Museum were in a state of semi-mummification. This means skin, muscles and bones remained, but inside organs were lost.
研究人员质疑RNA在室温下能存活多久。存放在瑞典自然历史博物馆的遗骸处于半木乃伊化状态。这意味着皮肤、肌肉和骨骼仍然存在，但内部器官却丢失了。
"Most researchers thought that RNA would only survive for a very short time - like days or weeks - at room temperature," said evolutionary geneticist Love Dalén. He is with the Centre for Palaeogenetics. Dalén added that while this might be the case when remains are wet, it does not appear to be so when they are dried.
进化遗传学家Love Dalén说：“大多数研究人员认为RNA在室温下只能存活很短的时间，比如几天或几周。”。他在古遗传学中心工作。Dalén补充道，虽然遗体潮湿时可能会出现这种情况，但干燥后似乎不会出现这种情况。
The Tasmanian tiger looked similar to a wolf, except for the tiger-like lines appearing on its back. When people arrived in Australia about 50,000 years ago, large animal population losses followed. The arrival of European colonizers in the 18th century destroyed the remaining populations around the island of Tasmania.
这只塔斯马尼亚虎看起来像狼，只是背部出现了老虎般的线条。大约5万年前，当人们来到澳大利亚时，随之而来的是大量动物种群的减少。18世纪欧洲殖民者的到来摧毁了塔斯马尼亚岛周围的剩余人口。
Private "de-extinction" programs have been launched with the aim of bringing back some extinct animals. These include the Tasmanian tiger, flightless dodo bird and wooly mammoth.
私人“去灭绝”计划已经启动，目的是带回一些灭绝的动物。其中包括塔斯马尼亚虎、不会飞的渡渡鸟和长毛象。
However, many researchers have warned about the difficulties of using genetic processes to actually recreate an extinct species. While Sánchez of the Centre for Palaeogenetics said he too has concerns about such processes, he noted that he does "advocate for more research on the biology of these extinct animals."
然而，许多研究人员警告说，利用基因过程来真正重建一个灭绝物种是很困难的。虽然古遗传学中心的Sánchez表示，他也对这些过程感到担忧，但他指出，他确实“主张对这些灭绝动物的生物学进行更多研究”。
研究人员表示，他们已经从早已灭绝的澳大利亚动物塔斯马尼亚虎身上找到了遗传物质。这一发现可以帮助科学家在这些生物从地球上消失之前更多地了解它们。
The recovered material is called ribonucleic acid, or RNA. RNA is a group of molecules present in all living cells that is important for genetic activity. It is similar to DNA, the molecules that contain an organism's genetic instructions.
回收的物质被称为核糖核酸或核糖核酸。RNA是存在于所有活细胞中的一组分子，对遗传活动很重要。它类似于DNA，即包含生物体遗传指令的分子。
RNA carries genetic information it receives from DNA. RNA combines groups of proteins that organisms require to live and works to control cell metabolism.
RNA携带从DNA中获得的遗传信息。RNA结合了生物体生存和控制细胞代谢所需的蛋白质组。
The researchers said the recovered RNA came from skin and muscle from the remains of a Tasmanian tiger stored since 1891 in a museum in Stockholm, Sweden.
研究人员表示，从1891年以来存放在瑞典斯德哥尔摩一家博物馆的塔斯马尼亚虎遗骸中提取的RNA来自皮肤和肌肉。
Scientists have in recent years taken DNA from different ancient animals and plants. But the team said it was the first time RNA has been recovered from an extinct animal.
近年来，科学家们从不同的古代动植物中提取了DNA。但研究小组表示，这是第一次从灭绝的动物身上回收RNA。
Scientists believe the Tasmanian tiger once lived on the Australian continent and surrounding islands. It was a top predator at the time, hunting kangaroos and other animals. The last known Tasmanian tiger is believed to have died in a Tasmanian zoo in 1936.
科学家认为，塔斯马尼亚虎曾经生活在澳大利亚大陆和周边岛屿上。它是当时的顶级捕食者，捕食袋鼠和其他动物。据信，最后一只已知的塔斯马尼亚虎于1936年在塔斯马尼亚动物园死亡。
Emilio Mármol Sánchez is with the Centre for Palaeogenetics in Stockholm. He was the lead writer of a study describing the research results. The study recently appeared in the publication Genome Research.
Emilio Mármol Sánchez在斯德哥尔摩古遗传学中心工作。他是一项描述研究结果的研究的主要作者。这项研究最近发表在《基因组研究》杂志上。
Sánchez told Reuters news service RNA material gives scientists "a taste of the real biology" involving the cells and tissues of the Tasmanian tigers before they went extinct.
Sánchez告诉路透社，RNA材料让科学家们“尝到了真正的生物学”，涉及塔斯马尼亚虎灭绝前的细胞和组织。
Marc Friedländer of Stockholm University was a co-writer of the study. He said, "If we want to understand extinct species, we need to understand what gene complements they have and also what the genes were doing, and which were active."
Marc Friedlä；斯德哥尔摩大学的安德是这项研究的合著者。他说：“如果我们想了解灭绝的物种，我们需要了解它们有什么基因互补，以及这些基因在做什么，哪些是活跃的。”
Researchers have questioned how long RNA could survive at room temperature. The remains stored at the Swedish Natural History Museum were in a state of semi-mummification. This means skin, muscles and bones remained, but inside organs were lost.
研究人员质疑RNA在室温下能存活多久。存放在瑞典自然历史博物馆的遗骸处于半木乃伊化状态。这意味着皮肤、肌肉和骨骼仍然存在，但内部器官却丢失了。
"Most researchers thought that RNA would only survive for a very short time - like days or weeks - at room temperature," said evolutionary geneticist Love Dalén. He is with the Centre for Palaeogenetics. Dalén added that while this might be the case when remains are wet, it does not appear to be so when they are dried.
进化遗传学家Love Dalén说：“大多数研究人员认为RNA在室温下只能存活很短的时间，比如几天或几周。”。他在古遗传学中心工作。Dalén补充道，虽然遗体潮湿时可能会出现这种情况，但干燥后似乎不会出现这种情况。
The Tasmanian tiger looked similar to a wolf, except for the tiger-like lines appearing on its back. When people arrived in Australia about 50,000 years ago, large animal population losses followed. The arrival of European colonizers in the 18th century destroyed the remaining populations around the island of Tasmania.
这只塔斯马尼亚虎看起来像狼，只是背部出现了老虎般的线条。大约5万年前，当人们来到澳大利亚时，随之而来的是大量动物种群的减少。18世纪欧洲殖民者的到来摧毁了塔斯马尼亚岛周围的剩余人口。
Private "de-extinction" programs have been launched with the aim of bringing back some extinct animals. These include the Tasmanian tiger, flightless dodo bird and wooly mammoth.
私人“去灭绝”计划已经启动，目的是带回一些灭绝的动物。其中包括塔斯马尼亚虎、不会飞的渡渡鸟和长毛象。
However, many researchers have warned about the difficulties of using genetic processes to actually recreate an extinct species. While Sánchez of the Centre for Palaeogenetics said he too has concerns about such processes, he noted that he does "advocate for more research on the biology of these extinct animals."
然而，许多研究人员警告说，利用基因过程来真正重建一个灭绝物种是很困难的。虽然古遗传学中心的Sánchez表示，他也对这些过程感到担忧，但他指出，他确实“主张对这些灭绝动物的生物学进行更多研究”。
