World’s Most Cloned Dog “Miracle Milly”吉娃娃“奇迹米莉”：世界上克隆次数最多的小狗

乔·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”不仅全球体型最小，而且还创造了高达49次的克隆新纪录，这些使它成为两项世界纪录的保持者。

科学家已成功提取迷你吉娃娃“奇迹米莉”的基因，并克隆出49只基因完全相同的小狗。

他们复制这只六岁小狗的基因，希望能破解其袖珍体型背后的遗传密码。

据称，“奇迹米莉”出生时体重不到1盎司，可蜷缩在茶匙里，兽医由此推断它难以存活。

不过，在其“养母”的悉心照料下，这只小狗已发育良好。这位充满爱心的“养母”名叫瓦妮萨·塞姆勒，现年38岁，居住在佛罗里达州的基西米市，她曾每隔一小时用滴管给米莉喂食。

2012年，吉尼斯世界纪录将“奇迹米莉”评选为“世界上现存最小的狗”，这一纪录保持至今。当时米莉身高不足10厘米（约3.8英寸），体重刚刚超过1磅——重量相当于一个大苹果。

它身形娇小，因而颇受世人宠爱。

科学家从米莉体内提取细胞，并将保存其遗传信息的细胞核移植到供体卵细胞中。

随后，再把发育中的胚胎放入代孕母狗体内，产下幼崽——这类似于1996年克隆羊多莉的实验过程。

2017年8月，米莉的第一窝克隆幼崽出生了。

目前，有12只外形酷似米莉的克隆狗住在塞姆勒家，这一家人给它们分别取名为：莫莉、马莉、梅莉、穆莉、穆穆、米拉、玛丽、米米、莫妮、米妮、梅拉和木兰。

据狗主人介绍，这些克隆狗的性格和长相完全一样，只是有些比“奇迹米莉”的个头稍大一点。

2011年，米莉出生在波多黎各的多拉多。当时，它身形过于娇小，人们都认为其难以存活。

幸运的是，塞姆勒女士非常宠爱米莉，每隔一小时用滴管给它喂牛奶，让她活了下来。

虽然塞姆勒一家知道吉娃娃属小型犬种，但直到收看了一则新闻报道后，才意识到米莉可以挑战世界纪录。

塞姆勒女士说：“它体型确实娇小，小到能放进茶匙里。”“米莉到世界各地参加表演及其他活动，曾去过中国、泰国等地。”

她还补充道：“我们觉得米莉不知道自己是一只狗，因为它从不吠叫，想要什么东西就哭闹，就像小宝宝一样。

“米莉只吃新鲜的鸡肉和鲑鱼，如果不喜欢就不吃，必须换成它想吃的食物，而它的喜好每天都不一样。

“我们称米莉为女主角，因为拍摄时，如果饿了，它就会背对镜头开始哭泣。”

（译者为“《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛获奖选手）