Chapter 1033 The Martian bacteria leaked and infected the lunar base
"This unique way of reproducing offspring."
"Something like a virus."
In the conference room, Professor Chen Yunze from the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences looked through the experimental data transmitted back from the moon and spoke in deep thought.
On the opposite side, Professor Zhao Jun thought for a while and said: "But its reproduction speed is not as fast as traditional viruses. This is not very consistent with the nature of biological reproduction. It feels like the genetic genes have been edited."
As he spoke, he looked up at Xu Chuan, who was sitting in the first place, and said, "Academician Xu's previous guess is more likely."
Looking through the report in his hand, Xu Chuan thought for a while, looked at Chen Yunze and Zhao Jun, and asked: "Can this silicon protein unit structure be reproduced indefinitely?"
Hearing this question, Zhao Jun frowned slightly and said: "Theoretically speaking, if it is a normal life form, there should be no breeding method that can reproduce indefinitely."
"For example, in humans and animals, there is a DNA sequence called a "telomere" at the end of each cell's chromosomes."
"Their main function is to protect chromosomes and prevent genetic material from being lost or damaged during cell division. Telomeres gradually become shorter every time a cell divides."
"This phenomenon of telomere shortening is like a "countdown timer" of life. With each cell division, telomeres become shorter and shorter. Eventually, the cell loses the ability to divide and repair and enters senescence or apoptosis. .”
"Although plant telomerase is somewhat special, and some of its lifespans are far longer than those of animals, there are still limitations."
"Unless it is a product of mutation similar to cancer cells, it can proliferate indefinitely under suitable conditions."
"But considering the Martian environment in which this type A Martian bacteria was discovered and its symbiosis with two other microorganisms, theoretically it should also have a 'lifespan' limit."
"It's just that we don't understand it yet."
After a slight pause, he looked at Xu Chuan and asked: "Academician Xu, how long will it take to analyze the genetic structure of this type A Martian bacteria?"
Xu Chuan thought for a while and said: "The day after tomorrow, we should be able to get the complete genetic structure analysis experimental data."
Research into Martian microbial bacteria and treatments for the four astronauts are being handled with the utmost urgency.
At the Yuehuatai Outpost Scientific Research Station, scientific researchers from various countries were divided into two large groups, each conducting research from different angles and directions.
However, many experiments take time to produce results, such as the detailed and complete genetic structure analysis map of Class A Martian bacteria.
The human genome project started in 1990 and lasted 13 years. It took 437 million yuan and 10 years to complete the sketch.
Although the structure of this microorganism is hundreds of times simpler than that of humans, it is not easy to completely analyze it.
To specifically treat infections or kill these Martian microorganisms and bacteria, it is necessary to find its weaknesses.
Meanwhile, on the other side.
At the Yuehuatai outpost scientific research station base hundreds of thousands of kilometers away.
As soon as she returned to her living cabin, before she could take a sip of water, Constance Minik bumped into two staff members of the Yuehuatai outpost scientific research base.
After showing his ID to the other party, Li Xu, who was leading the team, asked with a serious face: "Professor Constance, we found that you left the lunar rover's trajectory yesterday and went to the outer edge of the base. May I ask? What to do there? ”
In the past, there were different activity areas for each person who came to Yuehuatai Outpost to do research.
Except for public areas such as canteens, baths, and activity centers, everyone's activity areas are different.
Just like the area where physics researchers are active is usually the Institute of Physics, the access card cannot open the doors to other areas.
However, this time, in order to study Martian microorganisms and treat the four astronauts, taking into account various reasons such as communication and cooperation, they cleared most of the lunar base and opened up relevant permissions.
But this does not mean that these people can run around, especially the researchers and medical experts who are studying Martian microorganisms and bacteria.
Although considering the reactions of various countries, they did not install monitors on every scientific researcher and medical personnel who came to the Yuehuatai base, but the cameras in the base were enough to monitor everyone's movements.
According to the prompts of the intelligent monitoring system, the activity trajectory of this alien biology professor from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States was abnormal.
He left his designated area of activity and appeared on the outer edge of the base where he shouldn't have been.
Professor Constance Minick didn't seem too surprised by the two staff members who came to her door.
He shrugged and said: "Sorry, doing research and experiments in the base all day is too boring, so after completing the task, I went to the outer edge of the base to do some exercise and take a walk to see the scenery."
"You know, I am a professor of exobiology and exogeology. I came to the moon for the first time and I am very interested in the landforms of the moon."
With scrutiny, Li Xu stared at the other person closely, trying to see something from his face.
But unfortunately, as if he had gone for a walk and taken a detour, Professor Constance Minnick had a calm expression on his face and no other emotions.
, with a look of authority from top to bottom on his face, Li Xu interrogated seriously: "I suggest you be honest and be lenient if you confess. If something unexpected happens, you will be sent to the International Court of Justice!"
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Constance Minik spread her hands and said: "I'm sorry, although it is indeed against the rules to go out without permission, but I don't think the situation is serious enough?"
Taking a deep breath, Li Xu said: "I suggest you think more about your family and children on earth. If an accident occurs due to your actions, you will bear all the responsibilities!"
After warning, Li Xu looked at his companion who was inspecting the living cabin.
If there wasn't really any evidence to prove that Constance Minick had stolen or carried other prohibited items, or had done something else, they would have arrested him long ago.
Before coming, they had retrieved all the monitoring of the other party's progress, and also investigated the other party's daily activities and related experimental data, and found nothing unusual.
After carefully turning over the entire room, his companions shook their heads gently and found no suspicious items in the living cabin.
Taking a breath, Li Xu stared at the other party with a serious face, took the other party's permission card, swiped it on the device in his hand, returned it to the other party, and continued.
"If you do this again, we will subject you to confinement and prosecution in accordance with the law."
He has recorded the other party's permission card and imposed restrictions. If this happens again, they will take early action.
No matter what the reason is, no matter what the other party's purpose is. Whether he wanted to steal Yuehuatai's scientific research data and send it back to the United States, or as he said, he just went out to see the scenery and take a walk; or he had some other purpose. In short, it is better to be careful about everything.
On the other side, the United States.
Hopkins Institute for Microbiology in suburban Baltimore, Maryland.
Under the escort of a heavily armed team of ten, a tightly sealed box was delivered to the core laboratory of the institute.
Under the light as bright as daylight, Carl Wilfried, the head of the cryobiology laboratory wearing an isolation suit, led a team to receive the box.
A middle-aged man's voice sounded in the headset.
"You got it, Professor Carl."
His eyes fell on this fully enclosed metal box. With some surprise and curiosity in his eyes, Carl Wilfried asked: "How did you get it?"
"This has nothing to do with you. Don't ask if you shouldn't ask. You just need to make good use of it to complete our project."
The voice on the other side of the phone paused for a moment and then added: "In addition, I heard that this microorganism is highly infectious. I hope you can be more cautious when doing research. I don't want to hear about leaks of infection! ”
Carl Wilfried smiled confidently and said: "Of course, the Hopkins Institute of Microbiology has a research laboratory with level four biosafety standards. Even the Ebola virus and smallpox virus cannot be recovered from here. Leave.”
This book was recently updated in ##六@@九@@书@@!! Updated!
Level 4 biosafety laboratories are classified according to the degree of sealing and are the highest level and safety biosafety laboratories.
Specializes in experiments on pathogenic microorganisms, such as Bacillus anthracis, Vibrio cholerae, Ebola virus, smallpox virus, etc., which can cause serious or fatal diseases in humans but usually have no prevention and treatment methods.
The laboratory is equipped with complete isolation equipment and safe experimental specifications, which can perfectly prevent experimental personnel and other items from being contaminated, and also prevent their release into the environment.
Although it was common to hear of laboratory accidents leading to infections, at least it had never happened to him.
"That's good! I'll leave the rest of the work to you. I hope you won't disappoint me."
"Of course!"
Meanwhile, on the other side.
In the office of the dean of the Xiashu Aerospace Base in Jinling, Xu Chuan knocked on the half-open door and walked in. He had just received a call from here, asking him to come over.
"Wait a moment while I process the email."
Behind the desk, Academician Chang Huaxiang said hello and tapped lightly on the keyboard with his hands.
Xu Chuan nodded, didn't care, sat down on the sofa, and took the teacup from the assistant's hand.
After waiting for a short while, Academician Chang Huaxiang came over, closed the door first, and then said with deep worry on his face: "There was an accident. A type A Mars appeared in the base of the Yuehuatai Outpost Scientific Research Station. Bacterial infection event”
Hearing the news, Xu Chuan was stunned for a moment and asked: "Class A Martian bacterial infection incident? Are you saying that the research of the group of people on the moon caused bacterial leakage and infected personnel?"
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Chang Huaxiang nodded and said in a heavy voice: "Well, when we inspected the scientific researchers who were studying Class A Martian bacteria this morning, Class A Martian bacteria appeared in the excrement of seven scientific researchers. The male The number of infected people exceeds one-fifth of the total number of scientific researchers.”
"In addition, five staff members were also infected after coming into contact with these seven people, and the total number of infected people has reached 12,"
"The Yuehuatai Scientific Research Base has taken emergency measures to isolate these twelve people, and launched a series of actions such as air purification, sterilization, and physical isolation."
"But based on the current situation, judging from the infection ability of Class A Martian bacteria, I am afraid that it will only be a matter of time before this disaster spreads."
After hearing the report from Academician Chang Huaxiang, Xu Chuan thought for a while and said: "This is really fast."
Hearing this, Academician Chang Huaxiang was stunned for a moment, looked over in surprise, and asked: "What's so fast?"
Xu Chuan smiled and said: "The speed of leakage of Class A Martian bacteria."
Hearing this, Chang Huaxiang was stunned again and asked subconsciously: "Did you do this?"
Xu Chuan shook his head and said with a smile: "How is it possible? How could I do such a thing."
Chang Huaxiang asked curiously: "Then how do you know."
The research on Category A Martian bacteria was leaked and caused infections among scientific researchers and staff. For them, who organized scientific researchers from all over the world to participate in the research, this was a major accident.
But what he couldn't figure out was how did the leakage and infection accident at the Yuehuatai base occur?
You must know that the Yuehuatai base has the highest level of 'level 4 biosafety laboratory' for microbial and virus research, which was already considered when it was built.
After all, it is the first alien base, and various microbiological experiments will definitely be carried out, so the protection level was already maxed out from the beginning.
Theoretically speaking, for highly infectious bacteria such as Category A Mars bacteria, all operations are conducted in isolation, and scientific researchers will not come into direct contact with this microbial bacteria at all.
Secondly, before starting to study it, they had held multiple meetings, and together with the WHO, they had comprehensive and standardized experimental procedures on how to study this microorganism.
Although the process is cumbersome and complicated, it can ensure the safety of scientific researchers and medical personnel to the greatest extent.
So when he heard that there was an infection in the lunar base, he really couldn't figure out what the situation was.
Xu Chuan smiled and said: "It's just a little guess. No matter how good the regulations and safety are, as long as the experiment is performed by humans, there are risks."
"Of course, these are not important. What is important is how the leak occurred? Has it been detected?"
Academician Chang Huaxiang shook his head and said: "It is still unclear how the leakage and infection occurred, and it is under investigation."
"I have ordered the staff of Yuehuatai to pass all the surveillance cameras back, and I am arranging manpower to conduct careful observation and analysis."
Sighing, he continued: "It seems that the crisis we encountered this time may be greater than we imagined. The infection ability of this type A Martian bacteria has indeed exceeded our knowledge."
"Fortunately, we still have an independent scientific research base on the moon. If this kind of research on the earth were to be leaked, the consequences would be unimaginable."
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