EvC Forum: Homosexuality Can Be Genetically Turned On & Off

Email This Thread

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Author

Topic: Homosexuality Can Be Genetically Turned On & Off

molbiogirl

Member (Idle past 2671 days)

Posts: 1909

From: MO

Joined: 06-06-2007

Normal Thread Display

Message 1 of 20 (439883)
12-10-2007 6:58 PM

A study published today by Nature Neuroscience (online only) "finds drugs or genetic manipulation can turn the homosexual behavior of fruit flies on and off within a matter of hours.".

Here's a link to an article about the paper for those who don't have access to Nature Neuroscience:

Homosexuality Turned On and Off in Fruit Flies | Live Science

Here's a cite to the paper:

Nature Neuroscience
Published online: 9 December 2007
A glial amino-acid transporter controls synapse strength and homosexual courtship in Drosophila
Yael Grosjean, Micheline Grillet, Hrvoje Augustin, Jean-Franois Ferveur & David E Featherstone

It seems they found a "genderblind" (GB) mutation. Males carrying GB were attracted to males; females, females.

By altering the amount of glutamate in those carrying GB, the researchers could turn homosexuality on and off.

They think that "glutamatergic synapses were altered in some way".

They were also able to turn homosexuality on and off by altering synapse strength with something other than glutamate.

The team figured fly brains maintain two sensory circuits: one to trigger heterosexual behavior and one for homosexual. When GB suppresses glutamatergic synapses, the homosexual circuit is blocked, the thinking goes.

So they did more tests. As expected, without GB to suppress synapse strength, the flies no longer interpreted smells the same way. The smells in question come in the form of pheromones, chemicals that affect sexual behavior in much of the animal kingdom.

This finding is going to present a problem for the "Gay-is-a-choice" crowd.

I'm curious.

How do our local "Gay-is-a-choice" folks view this finding?

Replies to this message:
	Message 2 by jar, posted 12-10-2007 7:14 PM	molbiogirl has not replied
	Message 3 by Taz, posted 12-10-2007 7:14 PM	molbiogirl has not replied
	Message 4 by jar, posted 12-10-2007 8:00 PM	molbiogirl has not replied
	Message 5 by Silent H, posted 12-10-2007 8:54 PM	molbiogirl has replied
	Message 15 by Dr Jack, posted 12-11-2007 6:08 AM	molbiogirl has not replied
	Message 16 by bluegenes, posted 12-11-2007 6:49 AM	molbiogirl has replied

molbiogirl

Member (Idle past 2671 days)

Posts: 1909

From: MO

Joined: 06-06-2007

Normal Thread Display

Message 7 of 20 (439925)
12-10-2007 10:06 PM

Reply to: Message 5 by Silent H
12-10-2007 8:54 PM

First of all humans aren't fruit flies.

These tiny red-eyed animals ” known to scientists as the species Drosophila melanogaster ” are essential workhorses in thousands of biomedical research laboratories around the world. Decades of study have revealed that the tiny insects, which bear little resemblance to people, nevertheless share much of our genetic heritage.

The page you’re looking for isn’t available. | National Institutes of Health (NIH)

We have been using Drosophila for research for years and we've just found the GB gene.

And we won't know until we find an analogous "human gay gene" whether it's more complicated or not.

Currently there are a couple of "gay gene" candidates.

Mom's Genetics Could Produce Gay Sons | Live Science

And there is research that shows gay men respond differently to pheromones.

Sexual Pheromones: Myth or Reality? | Live Science

For example if someone showed that they could get animals (flies or whatever) to rape each other based on chemical changes ...

Straight out of the creo handbook.

For instance, if scientists were able to document that a “rape gene” existed, we certainly would not blame an individual for possessing this gene, but neither would we allow him to act upon that rape disposition.

http://www.trueorigin.org/gaygene01.asp

Humans have an arguably better ability to analyze and change their own behavior than fruit flies.

Really.

So you could choose to be gay if you wished?

Your attraction to the opposite sex is that pliable?

It is easy to transform this study into a statement that homosexuality is an aberrant behavior, a malfunction as it were, and one that may very well be correctable.

No more than any genetic variation is "aberrant".

Are green eyed people "aberrant"?

This message is a reply to:
	Message 5 by Silent H, posted 12-10-2007 8:54 PM		Silent H has replied

Replies to this message:
	Message 9 by Silent H, posted 12-10-2007 10:49 PM	molbiogirl has not replied
	Message 20 by macaroniandcheese, posted 12-11-2007 10:07 AM	molbiogirl has not replied

molbiogirl

Member (Idle past 2671 days)

Posts: 1909

From: MO

Joined: 06-06-2007

Normal Thread Display

Message 17 of 20 (440001)
12-11-2007 7:24 AM

Reply to: Message 16 by bluegenes
12-11-2007 6:49 AM

My bad. I did a pisspoor job explaining.

From the paper:

Genderblind (gb) mutant males showed no alteration in heterosexual courtship or copulation, but were attracted to normally unappealing male species-specific chemosensory cues. As a result, genderblind mutant males courted and attempted to copulate with other Drosophila males. This homosexual behavior could be induced within hours using inducible RNAi, suggesting that genderblind controls nervous system function rather than its development.

I'm probably stating the obvious, but I think that human sexuality will turn out to be much more complex than that of the flies, and will involve complex combinations of genes and other factors.

I have 2 finals today, so I haven't time right now to answer this in full.

I agree that tracking down the genetic influences will be backbreaking work ... and that the system will be more complex than an on/off switch.

But, as I pointed out earlier, we already have evidence that gay men respond differently the pheromones.

This aspect of sexuality seems analogous in Drosophila and human.

More this evening.

This message is a reply to:
	Message 16 by bluegenes, posted 12-11-2007 6:49 AM		bluegenes has not replied

Date format: mm-dd-yyyy

Timezone: ET (US)

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Do Nothing Button

4 online now:	DrJones*, dwise1, kjsimons, nwr
Newest Member:	ChatGPT
Post Volume:	Total: 916,912 Year: 4,169/9,624 Month: 1,040/974 Week: 367/286 Day: 10/13 Hour: 1/1