Researchers have separated cells from spinach to build the system. TUCHONG

Photosynthesis is a unique skill of green plants – they turn water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and food via sunlight. A group of Chinese scientists, however, “copied” the process on animals.

光合作用是绿色植物的一项独特技能——植物通过阳光将水和二氧化碳转化为氧气和食物。然而，一个中国科学团队在动物身上“复制”了这一过程。

To understand the new breakthrough, it is important to know how photosynthesis works. Plants take in carbon dioxide and water from the air and soil. Within the plant cell, the water is oxidized. This transforms the water into oxygen and the carbon dioxide into glucose. The plant then releases the oxygen back into the air and stores energy within the glucose molecules.

要想理解这个新的突破，重点要了解光合作用如何运作。植物从空气和土壤中吸收二氧化碳和水。在植物细胞内，水氧化并转化为氧气，而二氧化碳转化为葡萄糖。随后植物将氧气释放回空气中，并将能量储存在葡萄糖分子内。

In the study, the researchers from Zhejiang University developed an independent and controllable photosynthetic system, according to the study published in Nature in early December, 2022. They separated thylakoids a part of the cell where light reactions take place in plants, from young spinach leaves. The scientists then wrapped the thylakoids with the cover of animal cells, which made the implanted thylakoids more acceptable to foreign bodies.

该研究发表于2022年12月初的《自然》杂志上，浙江大学的研究人员开发了一套独立、可控的光合作用系统。研究团队从菠菜嫩叶中分离出参与光合作用的类囊体，再用动物自身的细胞膜来包裹类囊体，借助这层伪装，让植入的类囊体更容易为相异的细胞所接受。

The mice used in the study were suffering from arthritis, meaning cells in their cartilage had degenerated and could not be repaired by themselves. With the thylakoids implanted into the mice and exposed to light, the mice recovered. Their metabolism returned to normal.

在这项研究中，研究者以骨关节炎小鼠模型为例进行了探索，这些小鼠的软骨细胞已经退变、老化，无法自行修复。研究人员将类囊体植入小鼠体内，并施加光照，小鼠的关节健康状况因此得到明显改善，细胞的合成代谢也恢复正常。

In arthritis, the patients usually have energy loss since fewer energy-carrying molecules are generated. The implant, however, can correct the imbalance by storing more energy via photosynthesis.

如果患有骨关节炎，由于新生的载能分子较少，患者通常会产生能量损失。然而，植入的类囊体可以通过光合作用储存更多能量，扭转这一失衡状态。

The researchers also claimed that their tests would have medical usage. It can be used as part of the solution for degenerative diseases because the natural photosynthesis system may repair cells. It may also delay the aging process in cells.

研究人员还表示，这项测试将具有医疗用途，由于植物天生的光合作用系统可以修复细胞，该研究适用于退行性疾病的治疗策略，还有望延缓细胞的衰老。

The study showed “an exciting achievement that opens up possibilities of metabolism engineering,” commented one of the paper’s reviewers Francisco Cejudo from the University of Seville in Spain, reported Xinhua.

据新华社报道，来自西班牙塞维利亚大学的论文同行评审弗朗西斯科·塞朱多认为，该研究“是一项令人兴奋的成就，开辟了代谢工程的可能性。”

以上文章内容选自《21世纪学生英文报》高三797期