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Yeast. They already participate in producing some of the most popular pain-killing substances around: beer and wine.
酵母這種物質現已加入到最受歡迎的止痛劑—啤酒和葡萄酒的生產釀造中。
Now, scientists have engineered yeast that can also make one of the most powerful analgesics: morphine.
現在科學家發現酵母也可以用于制作最有效止痛劑之一的嗎啡。
Their work is in the journal Nature Chemical Biology.
這項研究結果已經在《自然化學生物學》雜志上發表。
Opiates like morphine and codeine are essential for treating severe pain.
像嗎啡和可待因這樣的鴉片制劑是抑制劇痛必不可少的藥物。
But making these meds isn't easy.
但制作這些藥物絕非易事。
All are derived from opium poppies, and tens to hundreds of thousands of tons are needed to meet global needs.
它們都源自罌粟，要想滿足全球需求則需要數萬乃至幾十萬噸。
The crops can also be affected by climate, disease and even political turmoil in the countries where the plants are grown, which further limits commercial production.
而種植罌粟受到氣候、疾病，甚至政治動亂的影響，這些因素都會進一步限制其工業產量。
To get around these potential challenges, researchers have turned to yeast, an organism that can be grown easily on industrial scales.
為了解決這個難題，科學家們將研究對象轉為可以在工業規模下更易種植生長的有機酵母。
The scientists inserted into yeast cells a handful of genes isolated from the opium poppy.
科學家們將從罌粟分離出的少量基因植入酵母細胞中。
These genes encode the enzymes the plants use to produce opiates.
就是這些基因可以對出產麻醉劑的植物酶進行再編碼。
After tweaking the system to adjust the relative amounts of the enzymes, the researchers could feed their yeast a precursor chemical called thebaine, and get pure morphine in return.
在經過對植物體系進行酶相對數量的調整后，研究人員會在這些酵母中加入一種名為二甲基嗎啡的混合化學物質，這樣就會得到純凈的嗎啡。
The yeast can't yet make opiates from scratch.
酵母現在還沒有能力單獨產出麻醉劑。
But with a bit more effort and a few more enzymes, yeast may produce painkillers that are prescription strength.
但是如果繼續努力及投入更多的酶物質，酵母或許會產出適合處方劑量強度的止痛劑。
