喬·平克斯通 唐昉

The smallest dog1 on the planet has been cloned2 a record-breaking 49 times—making her a two-time world record holder.

Scientists have created 49 genetically-identical dogs based on genes from the tiny Chihuahua3， known as “Miracle Milly”.

The six-year-old pup was replicated4 by scientists hoping to unearth5 the genetic code behind her tiny stature.

“Miracle Milly” purportedly weighed less than an ounce6 at birth， and could curl up7 inside the head of a teaspoon， leading vets to speculate8 she would not survive.

However， the tiny dog has gone on to thrive9， thanks to loving mum Vanesa Semler， 38， of Kissimmee， Florida， who fed the puppy every two hours using an eyedropper10.

Since 2012， Miracle Milly was awarded the Guinness World Record11 for Smallest Living Dog， standing at less than 10cm （3.8in） tall and weighing just over a pound12—the same as a large apple.

Her minuscule13 measurements led to worldwide adoration14.

Scientists extracted cells from Milly and used the nucleus15， which holds her genetic information， which was then transplanted to a donor egg cell16.

From there， the developing embryo17 was placed into a surrogate18 mother who would give birth to the pups19—in a process similar to the 1996 Dolly the sheep experiment.

In August 2017， the first litter20 of Milly’s clones were born.

All 12 of the doggie doppelgangers21 now live with the Semler family， who have named the Milly clones： Molly， Mally， Melly， Mully， Mumu， Mila， Mary， Mimi， Moni， Mini， Mela and Mulan.

According to their owners， the pups have exactly the same personalities and looks， however， some are slightly bigger than Miracle Milly.

When Milly was born in Dorado， Puerto Rico22， in 2011， she was so tiny it was thought she wouldn’t survive.

Fortunately， doting23 mum Ms Semler would feed her milk every two hours with an eyedropper to ensure she survived.

While they knew the family was small， it was only while watching a news report that they realised Milly was a contender24 for the World Record.

Ms Semler said： “She was really small and was so tiny she could fit onto a teaspoon. She travels around the world for shows and everything else， she’s been to China， Thailand， everywhere.”

Ms Semler added： “We believe she has no idea she is a dog， because she never barks and only cries when she wants something. She is like our baby child.

“She only eats fresh chicken and salmon， she tells me if she doesn’t like anything by not eating it. You have to change her food to whatever she wants， everyday it’s something different.

“We call her a diva25 because while being filmed， when she was hungry she would turn her back on the camera and start crying.”

吉娃娃“奇跡米莉”不僅全球體型最小，而且還創(chuàng)造了高達49次的克隆新紀錄，這些使它成為兩項世界紀錄的保持者。

科學家已成功提取迷你吉娃娃“奇跡米莉”的基因，并克隆出49只基因完全相同的小狗。

他們復制這只六歲小狗的基因，希望能破解其袖珍體型背后的遺傳密碼。

據(jù)稱，“奇跡米莉”出生時體重不到1盎司，可蜷縮在茶匙里，獸醫(yī)由此推斷它難以存活。

不過，在其“養(yǎng)母”的悉心照料下，這只小狗已發(fā)育良好。這位充滿愛心的“養(yǎng)母”名叫瓦妮薩·塞姆勒，現(xiàn)年38歲，居住在佛羅里達州的基西米市，她曾每隔一小時用滴管給米莉喂食。

2012年，吉尼斯世界紀錄將“奇跡米莉”評選為“世界上現(xiàn)存最小的狗”，這一紀錄保持至今。當時米莉身高不足10厘米（約3.8英寸），體重剛剛超過1磅——重量相當于一個大蘋果。

它身形嬌小，因而頗受世人寵愛。

科學家從米莉體內(nèi)提取細胞，并將保存其遺傳信息的細胞核移植到供體卵細胞中。

隨后，再把發(fā)育中的胚胎放入代孕母狗體內(nèi)，產(chǎn)下幼崽——這類似于1996年克隆羊多莉的實驗過程。

2017年8月，米莉的第一窩克隆幼崽出生了。

目前，有12只外形酷似米莉的克隆狗住在塞姆勒家，這一家人給它們分別取名為：莫莉、馬莉、梅莉、穆莉、穆穆、米拉、瑪麗、米米、莫妮、米妮、梅拉和木蘭。

據(jù)狗主人介紹，這些克隆狗的性格和長相完全一樣，只是有些比“奇跡米莉”的個頭稍大一點。

2011年，米莉出生在波多黎各的多拉多。當時，它身形過于嬌小，人們都認為其難以存活。

幸運的是，塞姆勒女士非常寵愛米莉，每隔一小時用滴管給它喂牛奶，讓她活了下來。

雖然塞姆勒一家知道吉娃娃屬小型犬種，但直到收看了一則新聞報道后，才意識到米莉可以挑戰(zhàn)世界紀錄。

塞姆勒女士說：“它體型確實嬌小，小到能放進茶匙里。”“米莉到世界各地參加表演及其他活動，曾去過中國、泰國等地?！?/p>

她還補充道：“我們覺得米莉不知道自己是一只狗，因為它從不吠叫，想要什么東西就哭鬧，就像小寶寶一樣。

“米莉只吃新鮮的雞肉和鮭魚，如果不喜歡就不吃，必須換成它想吃的食物，而它的喜好每天都不一樣。

“我們稱米莉為女主角，因為拍攝時，如果餓了，它就會背對鏡頭開始哭泣?！?/p>

（譯者為“《英語世界》杯”翻譯大賽獲獎選手）