北京时间今日凌晨， 在围绕河北科技大学韩春雨NgAgo实验的可重复性问题上争论达半年之久后， 发表该论文的《自然—生物技术》（NBT）终于发布声明称，其于今日发表的Toni Cathomen及同事（编注：美德韩三国的研究团队）的通信文章，可能会否定韩春雨原论文所称的有效编辑内源性基因的这一主要发现。如果一篇论文在发表后遭到批评，NBT会对各种批评进行审慎和全面的评估，其将在2017年1月底之前完成对韩春雨NgAgo实验的调查。以下是“声明”全文。

    关于韩春雨及同事发表于《自然-生物技术》的“DNA-guided genome editing using the Natronobacterium gregoryi Argonaute”（利用NgAgo进行DNA引导的基因组编辑）一文的声明

    《自然-生物技术》今天就此前发表的韩春雨及同事所着论文“利用NgAgo进行DNA引导的基因组编辑”发表了“编辑部关注”，并发表Toni Cathomen及同事的通信文章，题为“利用Natronobacterium gregoryi Argonaute（NgAgo）未能检测到DNA引导的基因组编辑”。

    《自然-生物技术》已审慎考虑过所有关于韩春雨及同事原着论文的评论。在任何情况下，如果一篇论文在发表后遭到批评，我们都会对各种批评进行审慎和全面的评估，此次也不例外。今天，我们不仅发表了Toni Cathomen及同事的通信文章，这可能会否定原论文所称的有效编辑内源性基因的这一主要发现；而且我们还连同原论文一起发表了“编辑部关注”，以确保读者知晓Cathomen及同事的论文，以及另外一篇在别处发表的论文（doi:10.1007/s13238-016-0343-9）所提出的担忧。目前，原论文的作者中有两位，即韩春雨和沈啸，已同意我们的发表这一“编辑部关注”，而高峰、姜峰和Yongqiang Wu则认为这并不合适。

    《自然-生物技术》认为，让原作者在能力所及的情况下对上述通信文章所提出的担忧展开调查，并补充信息和证据来给原论文提供依据是非常重要的。因此，我们将继续与原论文的作者保持联系，并为他们提供机会，以在2017年1月底之前完成其调查。届时，我们会向公众公布最新进展。

    编辑部关注：利用NgAgo进行DNA引导的基因组编辑

    《自然-生物技术》的编辑就上述论文发表“编辑部关注”，以提醒读者人们对原论文结果的可重复性存有担忧。此次，我们发表三个团队的实验结果（http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nbt.3753），他们都设法去重复韩春雨及同事发表在原论文中图4的结果，这一关键图表展示了对哺乳动物细胞内源性基因位点的编辑。这些团队无一能在任何位点，或在任何高于检测方法敏感度的条件下观察到NgAgo所诱发的变异。另外一组作者在《蛋白质与细胞》期刊也报告了类似结果（doi:10.1007/s13238-016-0343-9）。

    我们和论文作者进行了沟通，他们正在调查造成可重复性缺乏的潜在原因。我们向其告知了这一声明。尽管调查仍在进行中，但韩春雨和沈啸同意我们的发布这一编辑部关注，高峰、姜峰和Yongqiang Wu则认为目前并不合适。这些调查一旦完成，我们会向读者提供最新信息。

    以下为英文原文

    Statement regarding“DNA-guided genome editing using the Natronobacterium gregoryi Argonaute” by Han Chunyu and colleagues, published in Nature Biotechnology

    Nature Biotechnology is today publishing an Editorial Expression of Concern, alongside a Correspondence entitled “Failure to detect DNA-guided genome editing using Natronobacterium gregoryi Argonaute” by Toni Cathomen and colleagues, in relation to a previously published paper “DNA-guided genome editing using the Natronobacterium gregoryi Argonaute” by Chunyu Han and colleagues.

    Nature Biotechnology has carefully considered all comments relating to the original paper by Han and colleagues.  As in all cases where apaper encounters criticisms after publication, we have undertaken a careful and thorough evaluation of these criticisms. Today, we are publishing not only a Correspondence by Cathomen and colleagues that may refute the main finding of efficient editing of an endogenous gene claimed in the original paper, but alsoan Editorial Expression of Concern alongside the original paper to ensure that readers are aware of the concerns raised by the paper by Cathomen and colleagues and a report published elsewhere in the literature（doi:10.1007/s13238-016-0343-9）。 At this time, two authors of the original paper, Chunyu Han and Xiao Shen, agree with this Editorial Expression of Concern, whereas Feng Gao, Feng Jiang and Yongqiang Wu do not feel that it is appropriate.

    Nature Biotechnology believes that it is important for authors to be able to investigate the concerns raised by the Correspondence and to provide additional information andevidence to support their paper if they are able to do so.  Thus, we will continue to liaise with the authors of the original paper to provide them with the opportunity to do that by January 2017. An update will be provided to the community at that time.

    Editorial Expression of Concern: DNA-guided genome editing using the Natronobacterium gregoryi Argonaute

    The editors of Nature Biotechnology are issuing an editorial expression of concern regarding this article to alert our readers to concerns regarding the reproducibility of the original results. At this time, we are publishing the results of three groups （http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nbt.3753） that have tried to reproduce the results in the critical Figure 4 in the original paper by Han and colleagues, which demonstrates editing of endogenous genomic loci in mammalian cells. None of the groups observed any induction of mutations by NgAgo at any of the loci or underany of the conditions tested above the sensitivity of the assays used. Similar results have been recently reported by a different group of authors in Protein& Cell（doi:10.1007/s13238-016-0343-9）。

    We are in contact with the authors, who are investigating potential causes for the lack of reproducibility. The authors have been informed of this statement. While the investigations are ongoing, Chunyu Han and Xiao Shen agree with this editorial expression of concern. Feng Gao, Feng Jiang and Yongqiang Wu do not feel that it is appropriate at this time. We will update our readers once these investigations are complete.