京剧遇皇后打龙袍:我们所吃的食物可能控制着我们的基因

That is in fact what happens, according to a recent study of plant-animal micro­RNA transfer led by Chen-Yu Zhang of Nanjing University in China. MicroRNAs are short sequences of nucleotides—the building blocks of genetic material. Although microRNAs do not code for proteins, they prevent specific genes from giving rise to the proteins they encode. Blood samples from 21 volunteers were tested for the presence of microRNAs from crop plants, such as rice, wheat, potatoes and cabbage.

        这可是真的发生了的事。根据就是一个最近的由中国的南京大学的张辰宇领导的关于植物-动物MicroRNA转录的研究。MicroRNA是短小的核苷酸序列，也就是遗传物质的构件。尽管MicroRNA并不是指导蛋白质合成的密码，但是他们会阻止一些特定基因的表达（合成相应蛋白质）。21位志愿者的血液样本被用来检测来自各种农作物（比如大米，土豆，和卷心菜）的MicroRNA的存在。

The results, published in the journal Cell Research, showed that the subjects’ bloodstream contained approximately 30 different microRNAs from commonly eaten plants. It appears that they can also alter cell function: a specific rice microRNA was shown to bind to and inhibit the activity of receptors controlling the removal of LDL—“bad” cholesterol—from the bloodstream. Like vitamins and minerals, microRNA may represent a previously unrecognized type of functional molecule obtained from food.

       发表在细胞研究期刊上的研究结果表明，这些血流中包含了大约30种不同的来自人们平时吃的菜中的MicroRNA。似乎它们也可以改变细胞功能：一个特定的大米MicroRNA显示出它可以通过结合和抑制受体的活性来控制LDL（“坏”胆固醇）从血流的移除。就像维生素和矿物质，MicroRNA可能会是一种以前未辨认出的从食物中摄取的功能性分子。

The revelation that plant microRNAs play a role in controlling human physiology highlights the fact that our bodies are highly integrated ecosystems. Zhang says the findings may also illuminate our understanding of co-evolution, a process in which genetic changes in one species trigger changes in another. For example, our ability to digest the lactose in milk after infancy arose after we domesticated cattle. Could the plants we cultivated have altered us as well? Zhang’s study is another reminder that nothing in nature exists in isolation.

       这个关于植物的MicroRNA能在控制人类生理学的过程中起作用的启示强调了我们的身体是与生态系统高度统一的事实。张辰宇说：“这些发现可能为我们对共同进化（某一物种的基因改变会引发另一物种的基因改变的过程）的理解带来启发。” 比如，在驯养了牛之后，我们就进化出了一种在婴儿时期过后也可以消化牛奶中的乳糖的能力。这些我们种植的植物也会同样地改变我们么？张辰宇的研究是对于“自然中没有任何事物是单独存在。”的又一暗示。