◎ 茅毅
Scientists on Thursday unveiled an upgraded version of the gorilla genome based on DNA from Susie, an 11-year-old Western lowland gorilla at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio, that fills in many gaps present in the first gorilla genetic map published in 2012.
11歲的「蘇茜」是美國俄亥俄州「哥倫布動物園暨水族館」的一隻西部低地大猩猩，科學家以牠的去氧核醣核酸（DNA）於週四公布新版大猩猩基因組，填補了2012年公布的第一個大猩猩基因圖譜之諸多空隙。
The new research revealed that gorillas and humans are slightly more closely related genetically than previously recognized, with the genomes diverging by just 1.6 percent. Only chimpanzees and bonobos are more closely related to humans.
此新研究顯示，大猩猩與人類在基因上較以前認知的又更親近一點，基因組差異只有1.6%。在與人類基因組的相近程度上，大猩猩僅次於黑猩猩及倭猩猩。
The new genome shows that some areas of genetic differences include： the immune and reproductive systems; sensory perception; the production of keratin; and the regulation of insulin.
根據新的基因組，大猩猩與人類的基因在若干方面有所不同，包括免疫及生殖系統、感官知覺、角蛋白的產生、胰島素的調控。
"The differences between species may aid researchers in identifying regions of the human genome that are associated with higher cognition, complex language, behavior and neurological diseases," said University of Washington genetic researcher Christopher Hill, one of the lead authors of the study published in the journal Science.
華盛頓大學的基因研究人員希爾指出：「物種之間的差異可能有助研究人員辨識人類基因組的區段，這些區段攸關高等認知；複雜的語言、行為與神經系統疾病。此新研究刊登在學術期刊《科學》上，希爾是該論文的其中一位第一作者。
Recent studies have estimated that the gorilla and human evolutionary lineages split about 12 million to 8.5 million years ago, Hill said.
希爾表示，近來的研究估計，大猩猩與人類的演化譜系約於1200萬至850萬年前分道揚鑣。
新聞辭典
fill in：動詞片語，填補。We filled in the gaps in the fields of science and technology last year.（我們去年填補了科技領域的空白。）
diverge：動詞，（使）分歧。Many current psychoanalytic theories diverge markedly from classical Freudian dogma. （現行許多心理分析理論與傳統佛洛伊德教條有著顯著差異。）
split：動詞，（使）分裂。The party split into petty factions. （該黨內部分裂成幾個小派系。）
引用自http://iservice.ltn.com.tw/Service/english/english.php?engno=975255&day=2016-04-03
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