衣藻及其光敏蛋白揭示了大脑中记忆、情感和行为的形成机制。本月获得诺贝尔生理学或医学奖的三位科学家通过研究，发现了一种微小的藻类——衣藻。
Chlamydomonas and its light-sensing protein help show how memories, feelings and behaviour form in our brains A tiny alga has helped show how memories, feelings and behaviour form in our brains, in research by three scientists awarded the Nobel prize for physiology or medicine this month.
衣藻利用一种名为通道视紫红质的光敏蛋白向光游动，这种蛋白与我们眼睛中的视紫红质非常相似。
Chlamydomonas is a one-celled alga that swims towards light using a light-sensing protein called channelrhodopsin, remarkably similar to the rhodopsin in our eyes.
当通道视紫红质感知到光线时，带电离子会迅速进入细胞内部，引发一个极快的电信号，促使衣藻利用其类似纤毛的马达结构进行移动。
When the channelrhodopsin detects light, electrically charged ions rush into the cell from outside, triggering an electrical signal incredibly fast that tells the alga to move with its hair-like motor.