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進入《中英對照讀新聞》Pee power：Urine-loving bug churns out space fuel 尿力︰喜尿菌生產出太空燃料
◎魏國金
Scientists said they had gained insights into a remarkable bacterium that lives without oxygen and transforms ammonium, the ingredient of urine, into hydrazine, a rocket fuel.
科學家指出，他們已深入了解一種無需氧氣就能存活，同時能將尿液成分「氨」轉化為火箭燃料「聯氨」的奇特細菌。
So-called anammox -- for anaerobic ammonium oxidation -- germs caused a sensation when they were first identified in the 1990s, but uncovering their secrets is taking time.
所謂的厭氧氨氧化菌，在1990年代首度被發現時，引起轟動，然而揭開它們的神秘面紗則耗費時間。
In a letter published by the British science journal Nature, researchers at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands reported they had identified the molecular mechanism by which the bugs do their fuel-trick.
在英國科學期刊「自然」刊登的一篇文章中，荷蘭奈美恩大學的研究人員報告指出，他們已確認出這類細菌產生燃料的分子機制。
"Proving this was quite a feat," said Mike Jetten, professor of microbiology at the university’s Institute for Water and Wetland Research.
「證明這點堪稱是一項壯舉」，該大學水與濕地研究所的微生物學教授麥克‧傑頓說。
"We had to deploy a range of new experimental methods. In the end, we managed to isolate the protein complex responsible for hydrazine production, a beautifully red mixture."
「我們必須使用一系列新的實驗方式，最後我們成功分離出引發聯氨產生的蛋白質複合物，這是美麗的紅色混合物。」
The team’s work initially piqued NASA’s interest, but this faded when the US space agency learned that only small quantities of precious hydrazine are produced, "nothing like enough to get a rocket to Mars," said Jetten.
這個團隊的工作原本激起美國航太總署的興趣，但當這個美國太空單位得知，僅能生產出少量的珍貴聯氨後興致消退，「產量遠不足以把一枚火箭送上火星」，傑頓說。
"Now we are accurately determining the crystal structure of the protein complex. Perhaps we can improve the production process if we have a better understanding of how the protein complex fits together," he said.
「現在我們精確斷定出該蛋白質複合物的晶體結構，如果我們更了解蛋白質複合物是如何連結在一起，或許我們能促進這個生產過程。」他說。
新聞辭典
churn out︰動詞片語，粗製濫造、快速或大量生產。例句︰He has been churning out bad plays for ten years now.（他粗製濫造低劣的劇本至今已10年了。）
do the trick︰達到目的、有效。例句︰I took two sleeping pills but even that wouldn’t do the trick.（我吞了2顆安眠藥，但還是沒有效果。）
nothing like︰完全不像、沒有、遠不及。例句︰Nothing like enough was done to improve the working conditions.（改善勞動條件的工作做得很不夠。）
