Barry Schuler: An introduction to genomics

譯者: york ren 審譯者: Lin Su-Wei(林書暐)

What's happening in genomics,

在基因組學中發生了什麽？

and how this revolution is about to change everything we know

這場革命又將如何改變我們關於

about the world, life, ourselves, and how we think about them.

世界，生命，自我的知識，和我們對此的思考。

If you saw 2001: A Space Odyssey,

如果你看過，2001太空漫遊(註：1968年的科幻電影)

and you heard the boom, boom, boom, boom, and you saw the monolith,

你聽到 砰，砰，砰的聲音，看到那個龐然大物

you know, that was Arthur C. Clarke's representation

那是Arthur C. Clark的見解(註：2001太空漫遊的作者)

that we were at a seminal moment in the evolution of our species.

也就是說，我們正處在進化的重要時刻

In this case, it was picking up bones and creating a tool,

在這電影中，就是指使用骨頭，製作工具

using it as a tool, which meant that apes just, sort of,

將它當做工具使用，意味著電影中的猿人

running around and eating and doing each other

四處活動，覓食，做愛時

figured out they can make things if they used a tool.

發現牠們自己能使用工具來製作東西

And that moved us to the next level.

這將我們推進了下一個階段

And, you know, we in the last 30 years in particular

你知道，特別是最近30年中

have seen this acceleration in knowledge and technology,

我們已經看到知識和技術的高速發展

and technology has bred more knowledge and given us tools.

技術孕育了更多的知識，創造了更多工具

And we've seen many seminal moments.

我們已經歷了許多不可思議的階段

We've seen the creation of small computers in the '70s and early '80s,

70年代和80年代初，我們看見了小型電腦的發明

and who would have thought back then that every single person

有誰那時會覺得，每個人都能擁有不只1臺

would not have just one computer but probably 20,

而是20臺電腦

in your home, and in not just your P.C. but in every device --

這些小型電腦不僅在PC中才有，家中所有的數位設備也都有

in your washing machine, your cell phone.

在你的洗衣機中，你的電話中

You're walking around; your car has 12 microprocessors.

四處走走，你的汽車里就有12個微處理器。

Then we go along and create the Internet

然後，我們繼續創造了網際網路。

and connect the world together; we flatten the world.

將世界連接在一起，我們拉平了世界

We've seen so much change, and we've given ourselves these tools now --

我們目睹了如此巨大的變化，並掌握了這些工具

these high-powered tools --

這些強有力的工具

that are allowing us to turn the lens inward

這使我們能將鏡頭向轉向自身

into something that is common to all of us, and that is a genome.

轉向我們所有人的共同點，基因

How's your genome today? Have you thought about it lately?

今天你的基因如何？你最近思考過基因嗎？

Heard about it, at least? You probably hear about genomes these days.

或者，至少聽過這個？你可能最近聽說過基因。

I thought I'd take a moment to tell you what a genome is.

我認為，我要花點時間來解釋什麽是基因

It's, sort of, like if you ask people,

這是一種...好像你問別人

Well, what is a megabyte or megabit? And what is broadband?

嗯，什麽是百萬位元組？什麽是寬頻？

People never want to say, I really don't understand.

人們才不會承認說：我不知道這是什麼

So, I will tell you right off of the bat.

所以，我乾脆直接告訴各位

You've heard of DNA; you probably studied a little bit in biology.

你應該聽說過DNA，你可能在生物學中學過一點

A genome is really a description for all of the DNA that is in a living organism.

一個基因組就是生物所有DNA的描述

And one thing that is common to all of life is DNA.

所有生命都有的一樣東西，就是DNA

It doesn't matter whether you're a yeast;

無論你是一個酵母

it doesn't matter whether you're a mouse;

無論你是一隻老鼠

doesn't matter whether you're a fly; we all have DNA.

或者你是一隻蒼蠅，我們都擁有DNA

The DNA is organized in words, call them: genes and chromosomes.

DNA組織起來的詞組，稱為，基因和染色體

And when Watson and Crick in the '50s

當Watson和Crick在50年代中

first decoded this beautiful double helix that we know as the DNA molecule --

首次揭示我們稱之為DNA分子的美妙的雙螺旋結構

very long, complicated molecule --

非常長而複雜的分子

we then started on this journey to understand that

自此，我們開始了探索的路途

inside of that DNA is a language that determines the characteristics, our traits,

DNA內存在一種語言，來決定我們的特徵，性徵

what we inherit, what diseases we may get.

決定我們繼承什麽，我們可能染上什麽疾病

We've also along the way discovered that this is a very old molecule,

我們同樣發現DNA是一種古老的分子

that all of the DNA in your body has been around forever,

所有你體內的DNA

since the beginning of us, of us as creatures.

從我們作為生物之初就一直存在

There is a historical archive.

這是個歷史性的成就

Living in your genome is the history of our species,

基因中存在著我們種族的歷史

and you as an individual human being, where you're from,

我們作為個體的歷史

going back thousands and thousands and thousands of years,

以及我們千萬年前的起源

and that's now starting to be understood.

這些現在開始被瞭解

But also, the genome is really the instruction manual.

但同時，基因是一份指導手冊

It is the program. It is the code of life.

這是一個程序，一個生命的密碼

It is what makes you function;

它是使我們運轉的東西

it is what makes every organism function.

是使每一個生物體運轉的東西

DNA is a very elegant molecule.

DNA是一個精緻的分子

It's long and it's complicated.

它即長，又複雜

Really all you have to know about it is that there's four letters:

所有你需要知道的，只是四個字母

A, T, C, G; they represent the name of a chemical.

A T C G，他們各自代表化學物的名稱

And with these four letters, you can create a language:

通過這四個字母，你能創造一種語言

a language that can describe anything, and very complicated things.

這種語言能描述一切，即使是非常複雜的東西，

You know, they are generally put together in pairs,

它們總是成對出現

creating a word or what we call base pairs.

組成一個詞(例：A－T，C－G)，或稱之為“鹼基對(base pairs)”

And you would, you know, when you think about it,

你可以這樣想

four letters, or the representation of four things, makes us work.

就是這四個字母，組成所有生命的一切

And that may not sound very intuitive,

這聽上去不太直覺

but let me flip over to something else you know about, and that's computers.

讓我講一些你瞭解的東西，比如電腦

Look at this screen here and, you know, you see pictures

看著這兒的螢幕，你看到了圖片和單字

and you see words, but really all there are are ones and zeros.

但其實這裡只有1和0

The language of technology is binary;

二進制的語言

you've probably heard that at some point in time.

你可能曾經聽過這些

Everything that happens in digital is converted,

所有數位資訊都是被轉換過

or a representation, of a one and a zero.

或者被描述為，1和0

So, when you're listening to iTunes and your favorite music,

所以，當你聽著iTunes和你喜歡的音樂時

that's really just a bunch of ones and zeros playing very quickly.

實際上，是一組1和0在快速的變化

When you're seeing these pictures, it's all ones and zeros,

當你看著這些照片，實質上都是1和0

and when you're talking on your telephone, your cell phone,

當你在電話、手機上聊天

and it's going over the network,

通過網絡傳輸

your voice is all being turned into ones and zeros and magically whizzed around.

在網絡上，你的聲音全在傳送中被轉換成了1和0

And look at all the complex things and wonderful things

看看所有複雜而美妙的事物

we've been able to create with just a one and a zero.

我們只需要用0和1就能創造出來

Well, now you ramp that up to four, and you have a lot of complexity,

現在，2個擴大成4個，複雜度就大大的提升了

a lot of ways to describe mechanisms.

可以用更多方式來描述人體結構

So, let's talk about what that means.

所以，我們來談談這意味著什麽

So, if you look at a human genome,

一個人類基因

they consist of 3.2 billion of these base pairs. That's a lot.

它包含32億個鹼基對，超級多

And they mix up in all different fashions,

它們以各種不同的方式組合

and that makes you a human being.

這讓你成為了一個人類

If you convert that to binary, just to give you a little bit of sizing,

如果你將這些轉換成二進制，給你一點大小的概念

we're actually smaller than the program Microsoft Office.

我們實際上比Microsoft Office軟體容量還小

It's not really all that much data.

人體沒有那麼多的數據

I will also tell you we're at least as buggy.

老實說我們還帶有很多漏洞

(Laughter)

（觀眾笑聲）

This here is a bug in my genome

這坨肥肉就是我的基因中的一個漏洞

that I have struggled with for a long, long time.

我與它鬥爭了很多年

When you get sick, it is a bug in your genome.

當你生病時，這就是你基因組出現的一個漏洞

In fact, many, many diseases we have struggled with for a long time,

事實上，很多我們抗爭很久的疾病

like cancer, we haven't been able to cure

如癌症，我們不能治癒它

because we just don't understand how it works at the genomic level.

是因為我們還不知道病因在基因組上如何運作

We are starting to understand that.

我們才正在開始了解基因

So, up to this point we tried to fix it

我們開始嘗試修復基因

by using what I call shit-against-the-wall pharmacology,

通過一種像是"往牆上丟大便"的藥物學手段

which means, well, let's just throw chemicals at it,

意思是說，我們拼命往癌細胞上砸一堆化學藥品

and maybe it's going to make it work.

或許有些藥品會起作用

But if you really understand why does a cell go from normal cell to cancer?

但為何不弄懂一個正常細胞會變為癌細胞的原因？

What is the code?

控制癌細胞的密碼是什麼？

What are the exact instructions that are making it do that?

在發病時的確切指令是什麽？

then you can go about the process of trying to fix it and figure it out.

然後，你才能來嘗試修復這組基因並指出它的位置

So, for your next dinner over a great bottle of wine, here's a few factoids for you.

為了你下次晚餐時能選出高級葡萄酒，我給你一些相關事實

We actually have about 24,000 genes that do things.

我們體內有大約24,000個基因在運作

We have about a hundred, 120,000 others

剩下120,000個基因

that don't appear to function every day,

並不會運作

but represent this archival history of how we used to work as a species

但卻記錄了我們人類這個物種

going back tens of thousands of years.

在數千萬年前的歷史檔案

You might also be interested in knowing

你也許有興趣知道

that a mouse has about the same amount of genes.

老鼠跟人有大致相同的基因數目

They recently sequenced Pinot Noir, and it also has about 30,000 genes,

現今正在為黑比諾葡萄(Pinot Noir)排序基因，它同樣有約30,000個基因

so the number of genes you have may not necessarily represent the complexity

所以，擁有的基因數目並不能代表複雜性

or the evolutionary order of any particular species.

或者某個物種的進化等級

Now, look around: just look next to your neighbor,

現在，看看四周的人

look forward, look backward. We all look pretty different.

前看，後看，我們看上去都很不相同

A lot of very handsome and pretty people here, skinny, chubby,

很多帥氣，漂亮的人，纖細的，豐滿的

different races, cultures. We are all 99.9% genetically equal.

不同種族，文化，但我們99.9%的基因是相同的

It is one one-hundredth of one percent of genetic material

只有萬分之一的遺傳物質不同

that makes the difference between any one of us.

這造成了我們之間的差異

That's a tiny amount of material,

如此微量的物質

but the way that ultimately expresses itself

完全透露出

is what makes changes in humans and in all species.

這導致了人類和所有物種中的變化

So, we are now able to read genomes.

目前，我們能夠閱讀基因

The first human genome took 10 years, three billion dollars.

獲得第一個人類基因耗時10年，花了30億美元

It was done by Dr. Craig Venter.

是由Craig Venter博士完成

And then James Watson's -- one of the co-founders of DNA --

然後，James Watson，DNA模型的發現者之一

genome was done for two million dollars, and in just two months.

他的基因獲取耗費2百萬美元，只用了2個月

And if you think about the computer industry

想想電腦產業

and how we've gone from big computers to little ones

我們如何從大型電腦到小型電腦

and how they get more powerful and faster all the time,

它們如何變的更快更強

the same thing is happening with gene sequencing now:

同樣的事發生在基因測序領域

we are on the cusp of being able to sequence human genomes

目前最新的技術正在研究，

for about 5,000 dollars in about an hour or a half-hour;

如何在一個或者半個小時內，同時只要花費5000美元就能完成基因測序

you will see that happen in the next five years.

這將在未來五年內實現

And what that means is, you are going to walk around

那將意味著，你能隨身攜帶

with your own personal genome on a smart card. It will be here.

一張附有你個人基因信息的智能卡。就像這張卡大小。

And when you buy medicine,

當你買藥物

you won't be buying a drug that's used for everybody.

你不用買一種適合所有人的藥物

You will give your genome to the pharmacist,

把你的基因給藥師

and your drug will be made for you

藥會為你量身定做

and it will work much better than the ones that were --

這會比現在的要好的多

you won't have side effects.

你不會有副作用

All those side effects, you know, oily residue and, you know,

所有這些副作用，你知道，比如肥油殘留，你知道

whatever they say in those commercials: forget about that.

無論它們在廣告中如何稱呼，都可以忘掉

They're going to make all that stuff go away.

這些都將消失

What does a genome look like?

基因是什麽樣子的呢？

Well, there it is. It is a long, long series of these base pairs.

嗯，是一個很長很長的鹼基組

If you saw the genome for a mouse or for a human it would look no different than this,

若你看過老鼠或者人的基因，跟這個其實差不多

but what scientists are doing now is

而科學家現在做的是

they're understanding what these do and what they mean.

研究它們如何運作，意味著什麽

Because what Nature is doing is double-clicking all the time.

因為大自然正不斷的點擊滑鼠來執行基因程式

In other words, the first couple of sentences here,

換句話說，這裡的前幾個句子

assuming this is a grape plant:

表示，這是一顆葡萄樹

make a root, make a branch, create a blossom.

有根，有枝條，開花

In a human being, down in here it could be:

在人類中個，這裡可能是

make blood cells, start cancer.

產生血細胞，發生癌症

For me it may be: every calorie you consume, you conserve,

對我來說，可能是：每吃一卡路里，保存一卡路里

because I come from a very cold climate.

因為我來自寒冷地區

For my wife: eat three times as much and you never put on any weight.

對我的妻子來說：吃三倍的食物，也絕不會發胖

It's all hidden in this code,

這都隱含在這些編碼中

and it's starting to be understood at breakneck pace.

現在，這些開始以驚人的速度被理解

So, what can we do with genomes now that we can read them,

現在，我們能閱讀基因

now that we're starting to have the book of life?

我們開始閱讀這部生命之書

Well, there's many things. Some are exciting.

這裡有太多的內容，有些讓人振奮

Some people will find very scary. I will tell you a couple of things

有些人會覺得這很可怕，讓我來告訴你一些事情

that will probably make you want to projectile puke on me, but that's okay.

講解過程中你也許會想對我吐口水，但沒關係

So, you know, we now can learn the history of organisms.

你知道，我們現在可以研究生物的歷史

You can do a very simple test: scrape your cheek; send it off.

你能做一個簡單的實驗：刮刮臉頰，那皮屑送去測試

You can find out where your relatives come from;

你能找出你的親緣關係

you can do your genealogy going back thousands of years.

你能建立長達千年的家譜關係

We can understand functionality. This is really important.

我們能瞭解其中的實用性在何處，這很重要

We can understand, for example, why we create plaque in our arteries,

我們能瞭解，譬如爲什麽動脈會產生血小板

what creates the starchiness inside of a grain,

是什麽轉化成了糧食中的澱粉

why does yeast metabolize sugar and produce carbon dioxide.

為什麽酵母會轉化糖，形成二氧化碳

We can also look at, at a grander scale, what creates problems,

從宏觀一點的角度來看，是什麽導致這些問題

what creates disease, and how we may be able to fix them.

是什麽導致了疾病，我們如何治癒疾病

Because we can understand this,

因為，我們能理解這些的話

we can fix them, make better organisms.

能修復基因的話，就能創造更好的人類

Most importantly, what we're learning

更重要的是，我們學習的

is that Nature has provided us a spectacular toolbox.

是自然給我們提供的巨大的那個工具箱

The toolbox exists.

真的有這個工具箱

An architect far better and smarter than us has given us that toolbox,

而且是一個比我們聰敏、優秀的建築師給予了我們這個工具箱

and we now have the ability to use it.

現在我們有能力來使用它了

We are now not just reading genomes; we are writing them.

我們現在不只是閱讀基因，我們書寫他們

This company, Synthetic Genomics, I'm involved with,

這個公司，我所在的公司，Synthetic Genomics (註：美國企業，致力於基因技術開發、基因商業)

created the first full synthetic genome for a little bug,

創造了第一個擁有完全合成基因的小蟲

a very primitive creature called Mycoplasma genitalium.

一種非常古老的生物，叫黴漿菌

If you have a UTI, you've probably -- or ever had a UTI --

如果你有尿路感染，或者曾有過尿路感染

you've come in contact with this little bug.

你就曾與這種小蟲打過交道

Very simple -- only has about 246 genes --

它非常簡單，只有246個基因

but we were able to completely synthesize that genome.

而我們能夠完全合成這些基因

Now, you have the genome and you say to yourself,

現在，你擁有了基因，然後你對自己說

So, if I plug this synthetic genome -- if I pull the old one out and plug it in --

如果我將原有的基因取出，將合成的基因注入進去

does it just boot up and live?

它能啟動並存活嗎？

Well, guess what. It does.

嗯，猜猜看，它確實能

Not only does it do that; if you took the genome -- that synthetic genome --

不僅它能這樣，若你將合成的基因

and you plugged it into a different critter, like yeast,

注射進到其他的生物體中，比如酵母

you now turn that yeast into Mycoplasma.

你就能將酵母變成黴漿菌

It's, sort of, like booting up a PC with a Mac O.S. software.

這就像，在PC上運行MAC的作業系統

Well, actually, you could do it the other way.

嗯，事實上，您能反過來做

So, you know, by being able to write a genome

所以，通過修改一個基因

and plug it into an organism,

然後再放進某個生物體中

the software, if you will, changes the hardware.

這個軟體會改變硬體

And this is extremely profound.

這個是非常奧妙的地方

So, last year the French and Italians announced

所以，去年，法國和義大利宣稱合作

they got together and they went ahead and they sequenced Pinot Noir.

第一個為黑比諾葡萄測量基因測序

The genomic sequence now exists for the entire Pinot Noir organism,

現在有了黑比諾葡萄的完整基因序列

and they identified, once again, about 29,000 genes.

他們有確認了一次，一共29,000個基因

They have discovered pathways that create flavors,

他們發現了能產生不同口味的基因路徑

although it's very important to understand

這個發現很重要

that those compounds that it's cranking out

即，這些測出的成份

have to match a receptor in our genome, in our tongue,

與我們舌頭上的感受器相匹配

for us to understand and interpret those flavors.

讓這些味道能被我們的舌頭讀取，然後變成特定的口味

They've also discovered that

他們同樣發現

there's a heck of a lot of activity going on producing aroma as well.

有些活性物質產生了香氣

They've identified areas of vulnerability to disease.

他們確認了葡萄易受疾病感染的脆弱點

They now are understanding, and the work is going on,

他們正不斷的進行分析了解，

exactly how this plant works, and we have the capability to know,

徹底搞清楚這些植物該如何運作，然後我們就有能力理解、

to read that entire code and understand how it ticks.

閱讀完整的基因密碼，理解它如何表達

So, then what do you do?

然後你怎麼做呢？

Knowing that we can read it, knowing that we can write it, change it,

我們能閱讀它，撰寫它，改變它

maybe write its genome from scratch. So, what do you do?

也許可以從頭改寫基因，你猜自己會變怎樣？

Well, one thing you could do is what some people might call Franken-Noir.

嗯，可能大家都會叫做法蘭克福-黑比諾

(Laughter)

（觀眾笑聲）

We can build a better vine.

我們能創造更優質的葡萄樹

By the way, just so you know:

順帶一提，如你所知

you get stressed out about genetically modified organisms;

各位對基因改造生物感到緊張

there is not one single vine in this valley or anywhere

我們不會對在河谷或是自然界的植物

that is not genetically modified.

作基因改造

They're not grown from seeds; they're grafted into root stock;

改造的植物不會從種子生長出來，合成基因是被移植到植物體內

they would not exist in nature on their own.

而且這些被改造的植物不能在自然界中獨立生存

So, don't worry about, don't stress about that stuff. We've been doing this forever.

不要擔心，不要緊張，我們會一直這麼做

So, we could, you know, focus on disease resistance;

我們會集中研究在葡萄的抗菌力

we can go for higher yields without necessarily having

我們能獲得更高的葡萄產量，

dramatic farming techniques to do it, or costs.

不用依靠神奇的栽培技術，或者大量成本

We could conceivably expand the climate window:

我們可以有信心的擴大可種植的氣候範圍

we could make Pinot Noir grow maybe in Long Island, God forbid.

我們能讓黑比諾葡萄生長在紐約長島，即使上帝不同意

(Laughter)

（觀眾笑聲）

We could produce better flavors and aromas.

我們能創造更好的口味和香氣

You want a little more raspberry, a little more chocolate here or there?

你想稍微帶點覆盆子口味，或者一點巧克力味？

All of these things could conceivably be done,

這些都可以實現，

and I will tell you I'd pretty much bet that it will be done.

我打賭這個一定會實現

But there's an ecosystem here.

但是我們有一個生態系統

In other words, we're not, sort of, unique little organisms running around;

話句話說，我們不是那種可以到處亂跑的小生命

we are part of a big ecosystem.

我們是這個大生態系統中的一部分

In fact -- I'm sorry to inform you --

事實上，我得告訴各位

that inside of your digestive tract is about 10 pounds of microbes

在你的消化道中有約10磅的微生物

which you're circulating through your body quite a bit.

它在你的身體中循環，

Our ocean's teaming with microbes;

我們的海洋中存在微生物

in fact, when Craig Venter went and sequenced the microbes in the ocean,

事實上，當Craig Venter為海洋微生物做基因測序時

in the first three months tripled the known species on the planet

實驗開始的前三個月中，透過在水面下20英尺的觀察

by discovering all-new microbes in the first 20 feet of water.

就讓這個星球的已知生物數量增加了3倍

We now understand that those microbes have more impact on our climate

我們現在知道，這些微生物對我們氣候產生的影響比植物更大

and regulating CO2 and oxygen than plants do,

調節二氧化碳，氧氣

which we always thought oxygenate the atmosphere.

我們以為植物調節了氣候中的氧氣量

We find microbial life in every part of the planet:

我們發現在地球的任何一個角落都有微生物

in ice, in coal, in rocks, in volcanic vents; it's an amazing thing.

在冰層中，煤中，岩石中，火山口中，非常不可思議

But we've also discovered, when it comes to plants, in plants,

但我們也發現，在植物中

as much as we understand and are starting to understand their genomes,

就我們所研究的植物中

it is the ecosystem around them,

它們的周圍同樣存在一個生態系統

it is the microbes that live in their root systems,

微生物生存在他們的根系

that have just as much impact on the character of those plants

這些微生物對植物特性的影響

as the metabolic pathways of the plants themselves.

與植物自身代謝途徑一樣重要

If you take a closer look at a root system,

如果你仔細觀察植物根部

you will find there are many, many, many diverse microbial colonies.

會發現這兒有很多不同的細菌聚落

This is not big news to viticulturists;

這對葡萄栽培者不是什麽大新聞

they have been, you know, concerned with water and fertilization.

農夫們專注於葡萄的灌溉問題和肥料問題

And, again, this is, sort of, my notion of shit-against-the-wall pharmacology:

而這是另一種我剛所提的"往牆上丟大便"的藥物學手法：

you know certain fertilizers make the plant more healthy so you put more in.

知道某肥料能使植物更健康，然後就會多放一點

You don't necessarily know with granularity

其實，你不需要瞭解葡萄顆粒大小的問題

exactly what organisms are providing what flavors and what characteristics.

只需要瞭解，葡萄的器官組織提供什麽口味和特性

We can start to figure that out.

我們現在開始搞清這個問題

We all talk about terroir; we worship terroir;

我們都在談論地域，我們推崇肥沃土地

we say, Wow, is my terroir great! It's so special.

我們說，哇嗚，我的土地超肥沃

I've got this piece of land and it creates terroir like you wouldn't believe.

我這片土地肥沃到嚇死人

Well, you know, we really, we argue and debate about it --

不過，現在我們開始爭論於---

we say it's climate, it's soil, it's this. Well, guess what?

是氣候造成某地適合某植物的生長？還是土地？還是其他東西？

We can figure out what the heck terroir is.

我們能搞清楚，形成特產生產地的原因是什麼

It's in there, waiting to be sequenced.

只要等我們作出基因序列即可

There are thousands of microbes there.

這些地方有上千種微生物

They're easy to sequence: unlike a human,

他們能很容易的測序，不像人類

they, you know, have a thousand, two thousand genes;

他們只有一、兩千種基因

we can figure out what they are.

我們能弄清楚這些基因

All we have to do is go around and sample, dig into the ground, find those bugs,

我們所需要做的就是，四處走走，取樣，挖土，找到這些蟲子

sequence them, correlate them to the kinds of characteristics we like and don't like --

給它們做基因測序，了解牠們身上的特性是我們想要的還是不想要的

that's just a big database -- and then fertilize.

資料庫會非常龐大，然後根據這些資料種植施肥

And then we understand what is terroir.

我們才會知道為什麼會出現這些沃土

So, some people will say, Oh, my God, are we playing God?

有人會說，哦，天哪，我們在當上帝嗎?

Are we now, if we engineer organisms, are we playing God?

如果我們能改變生物基因結構，不就是在當上帝了嗎？

And, you know, people would always ask James Watson --

人民可能會問James Watson說：

he's not always the most politically correct guy ...

他在政治方面一直選錯邊站...

(Laughter)

（觀眾笑聲）

... and they would say, "Are, you know, are you playing God?"

人們會問說：“你是想扮演上帝嗎？”

And he had the best answer I ever heard to this question:

然後他以我從未聽過的方式回答：

"Well, somebody has to."

“喔，總要有人做吧”

(Laughter)

（觀眾笑聲）

I consider myself a very spiritual person,

我認為我是一個有信仰的人

and without, you know, the organized religion part,

當然，不是那種有組織的宗教信仰

and I will tell you: I don't believe there's anything unnatural.

我告訴你，我不相信非自然的現像

I don't believe that chemicals are unnatural.

我不認為化學是非自然的

I told you I'm going to make some of you puke.

這樣講可能會讓你作嘔

It's very simple: we don't invent molecules, compounds.

其實很簡單，我們並沒有發明分子或化合物

They're here. They're in the universe.

它們一直存在，它們充斥在這個宇宙裡

We reorganize things, we change them around,

我們重新組織它們、稍微改變它們

but we don't make anything unnatural.

但我們沒有生產任何非自然的東西

Now, we can create bad impacts --

我們目前有做出一些負面行為

we can poison ourselves; we can poison the Earth --

我們正在污染地球

but that's just a natural outcome of a mistake we made.

但基因工作方面的失敗品還是自然的產物

So, what's happening today is, Nature is presenting us with a toolbox,

今日事情是怎麼發展的，自然給我們一個工具箱

and we find that this toolbox is very extensive.

這個工具箱裡工具眾多

There are microbes out there that actually make gasoline, believe it or not.

信不信由你，我們有能產生油氣的細菌

There are microbes, you know -- go back to yeast.

這些微生物....就像酵母

These are chemical factories;

它們都是個小小的化學工廠

the most sophisticated chemical factories are provided by Nature,

大自然創造了這些最有效率的化學工廠

and we now can use those.

我們現在能夠使用它

There also is a set of rules.

同時有一些規則

Nature will not allow you to --

有些是自然界不允許的行為

we could engineer a grape plant, but guess what.

我們能改變葡萄的基因，但想想

We can't make the grape plant produce babies.

我們不能讓葡萄生產嬰兒

Nature has put a set of rules out there.

自然有一些法則

We can work within the rules; we can't break the rules;

我們能在規則內運作，但不能打破規則

we're just learning what the rules are.

我們正在學習這些規則是什麽

I just ask the question, if you could cure all disease --

我只想問，如果你能治癒一切疾病

if you could make disease go away,

如果你能驅除一切疾病

because we understand how it actually works,

因為我們瞭解疾病的所有一切

if we could end hunger by being able to create nutritious, healthy plants

如果我們能通過生產營養的、健康的植物來終結饑荒

that grow in very hard-to-grow environments,

同時能在惡劣條件下種植

if we could create clean and plentiful energy --

如果我們能創造乾淨和豐沛的能源

we, right in the labs at Synthetic Genomics,

在Synthetic Genomics的實驗室中

have single-celled organisms that are taking carbon dioxide

我們有一種單細胞生物，能攝取二氧化碳

and producing a molecule very similar to gasoline.

並生產一種類似油氣的分子

So, carbon dioxide -- the stuff we want to get rid of -- not sugar, not anything.

是二氧化碳喔----是我們想要擺脫的麻煩，而不是糖或者其他什麽

Carbon dioxide, a little bit of sunlight,

二氧化碳，加上一點陽光

you end up with a lipid that is highly refined.

你能得到想要的類脂化合物

We could solve our energy problems; we can reduce CO2,;

我們能解決能源問題，我們能減少二氧化碳

we could clean up our oceans; we could make better wine.

我們能淨化海洋，我們能做優質的酒

If we could, would we?

如果我們都能做到，那我們該做嗎？

Well, you know, I think the answer is very simple:

嗯，我認為這個問題很簡單

working with Nature, working with this tool set that we now understand,

和自然共處，使用這些我們瞭解的工具，

is the next step in humankind's evolution.

是人類進化的下一個階段

And all I can tell you is, stay healthy for 20 years.

我想告訴你的是，請平安健康的再活20年

If you can stay healthy for 20 years, you'll see 150, maybe 300.

如果你能再活20年，你就能活到150歲，甚至300歲

Thank you.

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