基因武器已成为现实

直言了，2012-03-13 | 2012-03-14 22:05:20。
http://zhiyanle.blog.hexun.com/73735052_d.html 。


两会上，有代表阐明了转基因技术的危害风险、说明了它可用来做杀伤武器，由此而提出了中国需要建立“生物国防”体系的建议，其中包括对转基因技术产品的严格检验、监控乃至限制或禁止等措施的建议。该建议妨碍了转基因既得利益集团的商业利益，于是，他们雇用的枪手文人接连出来，说转基因技术可制造杀伤武器的说法是“危言耸听”云云。其实，在美国，用转基因技术搞基因武器不但已经是现实了，而且已经开始公开征集相关国防用品设计了。故事很多，下面就说最近发生的一个故事。

今年年初开始，美国国防系统的“达尔帕”（DARPA）部门公开招标“蛋白折叠”软件设计，项目名称是“FOLD-IT”（直译：折叠它）。所谓“蛋白折叠”，就是根据某基因结构而形成某蛋白的过程；该蛋白发挥功能可使某生命体幸存发育或残疾死亡。要实现某种预期的蛋白折叠，就先要实现某种基因结构。到目前，基因结构设计包括DNA-水平和RNA-水平的两种设计：前者是“中心法则”的设计，后者是推翻“中心法则”的设计（更厉害）。不言而喻，搞基因结构设计就是搞转基因技术。

该部门公告说，有了“蛋白折叠”的最佳设计软件，我们的战斗员就可以更快地和更低成本地得到所需药品了。该公告没说战斗员需要的“药品”是做什么用的。其实，不必多说：战场药品的目标无非就是两个：救护自己，消灭敌人。就是说，“蛋白折叠”技术即转基因技术是完全可以用来制造进攻或防御的杀伤武器的技术。

该项目招标方式是“游戏”设计，即专业者和非专业者都可以轻松上手使用，且特别是方便非专业人员使用。科技产品以“游戏”方式出现，那做法很符合前世界著名贝尔实验室头头的话：什么是好的软件应用设计？我那七岁的儿子可立马上手玩起来，那就是好设计。在美国社会，几乎是众所周知：美国军队的许多战场科技用品的应用训练，差不多都是从“游戏”开始甚至自始至终就是用“游戏”方式的，譬如连空军飞行员的不少战斗训练就是如此。很清楚，那“蛋白折叠”设计用“游戏”方式，就是为成千上万的非生物学专业的军队战斗员能立马上手和轻松使用而考虑的。

在美国生活久了，且稍微关注一下官方科研项目运作，就不难看到美国国防科技的做法：能公开召集某科技产品设计，说明美国国防系统在该领域已经有了充分的战场认识，且有了足够的进攻能力和防御能力，由此，即便现实或潜在的敌对势力也搞出同样科技（甚至偷走相关科技），美国也有办法对付、能足够有效地保护自己的国家和人民的安全。如此，美国国防系统公开招标征集“蛋白折叠”设计，那说明美国国防系统对“基因武器”甚至“基因战争”的大规模杀伤破坏力已经有了充分的战场认识，且在相关领域有了足够的进攻和防御的能力。就是说，所谓“基因武器”早已成为现实、早已不再是议论中的事了。

当然，应该知道，当前，美国正在落实白宫签署的、要求全国各部门和地方各州限期落实生物国防之“布萨特”计划的命令，而“蛋白折叠”招标仅是落实该命令的一小部分。

注：美国国防系统的“达尔帕”（DARPA）部门发表的自我简介：The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) was established in 1958 to prevent strategic surprise from negatively impacting U.S. national security and create strategic surprise for U.S. adversaries by maintaining the technological superiority of the U.S. military. 。（该部门可否直译为“国防高级研究项目局”？）。


附图：转基因技术可以做的事情：



附：美国国防系统公开招标征集“蛋白折叠”设计的新闻公告之原文： 

Protein Folding Game Functionally Remodels Enzyme。
DARPA, January 25, 2012。
URL：http://www.darpa.mil/NewsEvents/Releases/2012/01/25.aspx 。

Proteins are essential in almost all biological processes. The three-dimensional shape of the protein, which is essential to its function, is determined by protein folding. Foldit, which was initially funded by DARPA, is a game with an online community of 240,000 players that allows non-experts and experts alike to collaborate and solve protein folding puzzles. Solutions to these puzzles are sent to biochemistry researchers to analyze for advances in protein design prediction.

Recent advances from Foldit include identifying the structure of a retroviral protease that causes AIDS in rhesus monkeys and protein inhibitors that block H1N1, a virus responsible for the 1918 pandemic and the 2009 flu pandemic. Through Foldit, the crowd has produced solutions that have evaded scientists for years.

DARPA’s investment in Foldit continues to lead to advances as demonstrated by the latest paper published in Nature. The paper describes how players were able to functionally remodel the structure of a catalyst enzyme for Diels-Alder reactions, an important reaction in organic synthesis. The remodeling of the enzyme structure increases catalytic properties by 18 times, demonstrating that Foldit can be used not only for protein design, but also for protein function prediction, a more complex challenge that cannot be solved by automation.

“Modeling an enzyme with significantly enhanced catalytic properties could lead to advances in organic synthesis,” explained Jay Schnitzer, director, Defense Sciences Office. “If enzymes used in pharmaceutical production can be remodeled with enhanced catalytic properties, production times should be shortened. For the DoD, this means getting medicines to the warfighter faster and at lower cost.”

“One of the benefits to opening the aperture for non-expert participation is that they don’t come into a situation with preconceived notions of what has to happen or how, so they have an ability to see beyond the problem and identify potential new solutions from a different perspective,” said DARPA Deputy Director Kaigham Gabriel.

DARPA continues to explore other opportunities where gamification can lead to advancements. The Crowd Sourced Formal Verification (CSFV) program seeks to design games that will allow novices and experts alike to formally verify code in DoD software. By allowing a diverse pool of participants, a game for formal verification would save time and money, allowing more effective software to be deployed with the U.S. warfighter. Those interested in developing games for formal verification have until March 20, 2012 to respond to the CSFV solicitation.

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