豪尔教授说："这是一种非常独特的研究方式,此前还没有人这样做过."肽是影响人体细胞功能的氨基酸短链.
They occur naturally but biochemists can make synthetic versions.
它既能自然合成,也可通过生物化学家人工合成.
Prof Howl and colleague Dr Sarah Jones first demonstrated that certain cell-penetrating peptides could smuggle themselves inside sperm cells, like a Trojan horse.
豪尔教授和同事萨拉•琼斯博士最先证明某种"细胞穿透肽"能够像特洛伊木马一样将自己偷运进精子细胞.
Then they joined forces with IVF experts at Aveiro University in Portugal, who had identified the crucial protein responsible for putting the wiggle into sperm tails.
后来,他们与葡萄牙阿威罗大学的生殖专家合作,后者已确认驱动精子尾部摆动的关键蛋白质.
The two universities created a bespoke peptide which turns that protein off.
两所大学共同研制出一种特定的肽,能够使此蛋白质失去作用.
They tested the approach in the petri dish on bovine and human sperm, with similarly impressive results, and will soon publish their results.
他们将此合成物放入含有牛和人精子的培养皿内进行试验,结果竟惊人的相似.他们表示将尽快公布实验结果.
Prof Howl said they hoped to start live animal tests in two to three years, thanks in part to a 175,000 Portuguese grant.
豪尔教授说他们希望利用葡萄牙资助的17.5万英镑,在未来2到3年内进行活体动物实验.
It typically takes three to five years to bring a new drug to market after animal trials, so the final product could be available as early as 2021. Prof Howl said it was too early to say if the end result would be a pill, a nasal spray or a sub-skin implant, but they were all possibilities.
动物实验之后还需要3到5年的时间研制新药并投放市�.虼顺善纷钤缁蚪�2021年面世.豪尔教授表示,最终产品究竟是药丸,鼻用喷雾还是皮下植入物现在还"言之尚早",但它们都有可能.
John Guillebaud, emeritus professor of family planning and reproductive health at University College, London, said a reversible male contraceptive would be of enormous benefit to many couples, such as those where the woman cannot take the Pill for medical reasons for instance due to migraine with aura or an increased risk of blood clots.
伦敦大学学院计划生育和生殖健康名誉教授约翰•基耶博指出,可逆的男性避孕药对很多夫妇来说会是巨大的福祉,比如有些女性由于患有先兆偏头痛或会增加血栓风险等医学原因无法服用避孕药.
英文来源：每日邮报
