Scientists Can Now Genetically Manipulate Sexuality of Fruit Fly

David Featherstone and colleagues at the University of Illinois at Chicago have discovered a gene in fruit flies that control their sexual orientation!

The team led by University of Illinois at Chicago researcher David Featherstone has discovered that sexual orientation in fruit flies is controlled by a previously unknown regulator of synapse strength. Armed with this knowledge, the researchers found they were able to use either genetic manipulation or drugs to turn the flies' homosexual behavior on and off within hours.

Featherstone, associate professor of biological sciences at UIC, and his coworkers discovered a gene in fruit flies they called "genderblind," or GB. A mutation in GB turns flies bisexual.

Link - via Differenceblog


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Don Carl, I didn't automatically dismiss the scientists' opinions, rather, I openly said, feel free to dismiss mine (and it seems you did). If such discoveries were conclusive (they had said to have done the same with a worm, but later found out they messed up its gender identity), then it would provide definitive proof for the nature vs nurture debate that has raged for years.

DietAether, you are correct. It's not a burden to be attracted to someone (as a lesbian female), but it is a burden to be ridiculed for it.
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Comparing homosexuality to cancer is a bit, for lack of a better word, stupid. I don't recall the last time anyone has died of TEH GHAY, and don't say AIDS because that's a heterosexual disease too. Same for hate crimes, you have just as good a chance of dying from the black bug (curse you Africa!) as you do if you are homosexual.
Being a heterosexual male, I like being attracted to women. I'm sure the same can be said of anyone. It's not a burden, and if someone said they invented a way to reverse that attraction in order to make me "normal" I would say no thank you. There's probably a good reason fruit flies don't write sonnets or invent the wheel.
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