Headline Of The Week Weak
"Scientists Make Fruit Flies Gay, Then Straight Again"
Crikey! CLICK HERE to read the article accompanying this headline.
Scientists Make Fruit Flies Gay, Then Straight Again
While several studies find homosexuality in humans and other animals is biological rather than learned, a question remains over whether it's a hard-wired phenomenon or one that can be altered.
A new study finds that both drugs and genetic manipulation can turn the homosexual behavior of fruit flies on and off within a matter of hours.
While the genetic finding supports the thinking that homosexuality is hard-wired, the drug finding surprisingly suggests it's not that simple.
In fact, homosexuality in the fruit flies seems to be regulated by how they interpret the scent of another.
Dramatic result
Homosexuality is widespread in the animal world. But scientists have long debated whether, in humans a "gay gene" exists.
Previous research in humans has suggested that how we interpret scents given off by another person might impact our sexuality.
In the new work, University of Illinois at Chicago researcher David Featherstone and coworkers discovered a gene in fruit flies they call "genderblind," or GB. A mutation in GB turns flies bisexual.
GB transports the neurotransmitter glutamate to brain cells. Altering levels of glutamate change the strength of nerve cell junctions, called synapses, which play a key role in human and animal behavior.
Post-doctoral researcher Yael Grosjean found that all male fruit flies with a mutation in their GB gene courted other males.
"It was very dramatic," Featherstone said. "The GB mutant males treated other males exactly the same way normal male flies would treat a female. They even attempted copulation."
Overreaction
Other genes are known to alter sexual orientation, but most just control whether the brain develops as genetically male or female. It's not known why a male brain does male things and a female brain acts in female ways, Featherstone and his colleagues say.
"Based on our previous work, we reasoned that GB mutants might show homosexual behavior because their glutamatergic synapses were altered in some way," Featherstone said. "Homosexual courtship might be sort of an 'overreaction' to sexual stimuli."
To test this, the researchers genetically altered synapse strength, independent of GB. They also gave flies drugs to alter synapse strength. As predicted, they were able to turn fly homosexuality on and off, within hours.
"It was amazing. I never thought we'd be able to do that sort of thing, because sexual orientation is supposed to be hard-wired," Featherstone said. "This fundamentally changes how we think about this behavior."
Sense of smell
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.
It is not known, however, to what extent human attraction is affected by pheromones. A study in 2005 found that when smelling a chemical from testosterone, portions of the human brains active in sexual activity were turned on in gay men and straight women, but not in straight men.
But at least among fruit flies, "pheromones are powerful sexual stimuli," Featherstone said. "As it turns out, the GB mutant flies were perceiving pheromones differently. Specifically, the GB mutant males were no longer recognizing male pheromones as a repulsive stimulus."
The research was published online today by the journal Nature Neuroscience.
Inspired By The Wino
Re: Na Hol –
Yea. …. Dumbass
Scientists need to stop fucking with everything. That's disgusting.
Kim - Maybe they can help you. And you, Daniella.
another example of how homosexuality is a lifestyle choice and not a genetic predisposition. its a perversion where you like cocks up your arses and talk funny and all you dirty bastards need to be put in gas chambers. hitler had the right idea. stop fudgepacking now!
The best cure for fags is to curb stomp the pieces of shit….FIXED!
sdfredr
Like I always said. Gays are natures defects. Like any disability it's nice that medicine is trying to correct the mistake. Bring it on.
Re: lalallalalalalweeeee – You realize heterosexual women also use anonymous sperm donors and artificial insemination don't you? How about whores that sleep around and have illegitimate children? Is that okay because they're straight? Use what brain cells you have left and think for a second.
fucktard.
it is important to note that the paramount issue not being addressed in either the media or many discussion boards, is the continued insistance of the possibility of homesexuality being exclusively genetic; especially by the media. such thought completely negates the seminal studies and works of prominent scholars such as D'Emilio and Chauncey that examine social, politcal and economic contingenicies into their lgbt studies.
Get rid of the fudge packers and AIDS will drop… but so will this web site's hit counter.
Re: Liberace–TALK ABOUT A FREUDIAN SLIP!!! – But you would have never been born, darling, as your father was the biggest cocksucker on the planet and the BIGGEST cock he downed was HIS father's crusty schlong.
Re: lalallalalalalweeeee – um yeah because simply having a penis and a vagina will ensure that a child grows up healthy, smart and happy. The difference between gay parents and half of you fucktard straight people is that gay people actually want their children. Do you say this shit to infertile couples? God obviously didn't want them to raise children either I suppose. But of course, since they have a penis and a vigina that makes everything OK. All those kids who are abused to death, left in hot cars in the summer to bake to death, who are raped by mom's awesome boyfriend, left in the same diaper for a week because mom and dad are too high on meth to notice…. Yeah, their parents were straight. You don't really ever hear about gay people doing that to their kids.
Just as long as there's a penis and a vagina in the room that somehow is all it magically takes to raise good children. You're a total idiot.
GREAT NEWS PEOPLE! AS THE HEAD RESEARCHER AT THE GUBBERSTEIN-WANKELHORNN CLINIC IN GENEVA, I HAVE FOUND THE DEFINITIVE CURE FOR HETEROSEXUALITY! BEAUTIFUL WOMEN, HANDSOME BUFF MEN, NO MORE BAD HAIR, NO MORE UGLY CLOTHES, NO MORE AWFUL HOME DECOR, NO MORE WONDERING WHAT SHIRT GOES WITH WHAT TIE! YOU WILL ALL BE FREED FROM THE DISMAL HELL THAT IS THE STRAIGHT LIFE. YOU STILL WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE CHILDREN (if you REALLY want to) AND HAVE A COMMITTED LONG TERM RELATIONSHIP WITH MARRIAGE (See the various options in my book) THIS WILL NOT ONLY MAKE THE WORLD A MORE BEAUTIFUL PLACE, BUT IT WILL BE ABLE TO DECREASE THE ALREADY SEVERELY OVER CROWDED POPULATION THAT'S CURRENTLY RUINING THE PLANET. JUST A FEW TREATMENTS AT MY CLINIC & YOU TOO WILL BE SMARTER, RICHER, BETTER LOOKING AND WITH A WITTY VOCABULARY THAT WILL TAKE YOU ANYWHERE! LIMITED PLACES SO ENROLL TODAY!
Don't worry, Perez, you're safe until they start working on roaches. Butt Pirate Jerk.
Re: lalallalalalalweeeee – So..since you are speaking for all children I assume you have done some research into the children of homosexual couple? I am one. I am the product of artificial insemination, and the child of 2 amazing mothers. I had an amazing childhood, watched tons of friends around me with straight parents go through hell. Never have I yearned for a father figure, as most homosexual do, they made sure I had positive male role models,never have a yearned for some connection with a father. I am in law school, have a fiance, pay my taxes, have great friends…pretty fucked up huh? YOU are the fucked up one.
Re: drosophila – Re: Allan – WHAT backwards 1950's-esque world do you live in?!?! The days of GRID were prolly before your birth to your close-minded family. I don't know if that comment is more offensive for implying all gays have "the aids", or that all persons with AIDS were infected because they had gay butt sex. Be more present in the world. The largest population with HIV is the population that historically suffers the brunt of all plagues: the poor, regardless of sexuality!
At a certain point I think we are going to be able to manipulate & turn "on & off" everything. Is that the point of studying science, I dont think so. Its just an aspect of the journey. Nobody can even attempt to explain why homosexuality exisits, fundamentaly, since it is so prevelant & always has been for life on Earth.
Perez makes me ashamed of being gay
wow this website is so obsessed with gayness.. this website sux
andrea0121@gmail.com
yeah what is it with people wanting to be gay… homosexuality is abnormal and disgusting.. do these people realise how disgusting they are?
Re: DR HERMANN SCHWARTENHOOFFER – Aren't little…and I AM TALKING about his PENIS…King George and his obnoxious wife due to begin treatments in January 2009, when he's forced to abdicate?
This is old news. It has been published before and even referenced in an anthology that was published earlier this year? How is this news?
Re: DR HERMANN SCHWARTENHOOFFER – Aren't LITTLE…and YES, I am TALKING about his penis…King George and his obnoxious wife due to begin treatments in January 2009, when he's forced to abdicate?
Re: Mary – do you realize what a pathedic excuse for a human being you are? go climb back under your rock…there is enough hate in the world already so congrats you just added to it…if someone being gay is your biggest disagreement then you don't have enough going on in your own life…
i cannot believe we are actually comparing fruit flies to human beings …… scientists need more things to research on
I think Mary is right, gay people are pathetic
We'll I don't think every doctor in the world should study a cure for aids or cancer, maybe think that gays are the reason aids spread so quickly in the first place!!! ie I had a gay son I would medicate him to keep him from sucking shit and pinworms off a dirty cock. Be who you wanna be but I don't care to know your asshole is wide as all outside.
I might as well go ahead and state the obvious (joke): "Gee, I guess there's still hope for you yet, Perez! lol"
LMFAO@ dani #6.
To scientists:
GO AWAY… I'LL STAY GAY!
Re: Christine –
you fucking idiot it's not a defect it isn't anything. it's simply a difference, like me being mentally stable and you being a retard. pull your shitforbrains head out of your ass and read a goddam book. and i'm not talking about the bible. fucking cunt
well DUH…….don't y'all know about the totally straight boys that will sleep with dudes when they're drunk? It's called a three-beer queer: Totally straight, but after three beers ………….
wow i can't believe the comments about this post. researchers are not testing gay fruit flies in the hope to convert everyone into gays or straights - it is merely to understand why the world is the way it is - knowing both how and what makes people tick. the best thing to come out of this research is that being gay is COMPLETELY normal!!! for one, there has been proof for eons that there is alot of homosexuality in nature, it just doesn't get airtime on documentaries cuz of human prejudice.
PS. this doesn't affect funding of cancer and aids studies, there are plenty more researchers on that than there are on gay animals - but bear in mind, if there's a cure to cancer/aids then the whole cancer/aids research-treatment-product industry goes down with it.
and to the freaks that are using that article to condemn gays even further due to the 'mutant' gene… mutant genes occur in EVERYONE! If you have white skin, that's a mutated gene. if you're a redhead, that is a mutated gene. freckles - mutated gene. get my drift? gene mutations happen all the time and all naturally, it's what keeps the gene pool diverse. if you hate mutated genes so much i hope you can quit bananas and strawberries and all those other wonderful foods that wouldn't be here without a little natural gene mutation!
Re: Allan – Did you fall on your head as a baby? Curing homosexuality will not cure AIDS!! WTF?? On a side note if this ever was applied to humans in the distant future the bigger debate will be if you should "Fix" homosexuality and should the choice be up to the parents or the individual.
ENOUGH ALREADY! Why on Earth, would we need to the the approx. 14% of of, who are gay?! People, there is a REASON for this "mutation". It is a fact- females , outnumber males…55%-45%. If homosexuality were eradicated….the 45% would clamor for the 55%….and all HELL would break loose..You would find skewing of "traditional families"..or else, what are the other 10% of males going to do for mates? If you have that extra billion or so, being hetero…feeeling the need to spawn…GUESS WHAT? Rather then the severe overpopulation coming upon us in 30 or so years…it can happen in about 5. Then What? You want to cure cancer and AIDS also? Ok….so, on top over the overpopulation….let's let another billion live..until they get run over by a bus..so…maybe an extra 2 billion mouths to feed,in 5 years..Good Luck with that…
#67, being gay is not the same as being a pedophile or a homicidal maniac. Nor is it the same as having downs syndrome. You are ignorant.
SO PERHAPS GAYS ARE SIMPLY GENDERBLIND, JUST AS SOME PEOPLE ARE SIMPLY COLORBLIND, EH?
what a great post!!!!!!!
it's good that you're putting up things that are actually usefull to know…..makes me not feel so guilty about being on this site when I should be studying for finals…teeheee
Who knows if this will ever apply to humans? If it ever does, will there be a demand for this procedure? Who will want it? Probably some gay people who feel guilty about their sexuality. Maybe some who are fed up with the discrimination that they face. Hopefully, this will be a decision that is made by gays and not by an outside group. What if they find a way to determine if a fetus will grow up to be gay? Will this be a decision made by parents?
First, if one actually reads this article correctly, you will see that they are not trying to "cure" or "fix" homosexuality. As many scientists do every day, they are simply trying to find answers. The human brain (along with animals as well) is very complex, and it is important for us to understand how and why things work in the way they do. By understanding such things, advancements will be able to be made in other areas as well. Hell, who knows, this could end up being the key for the cure to AIDs. But one will never know until we conduct research and answer questions.
Re: Another Nobody –
yeah, i guess you're right, its not COOL.
you know, stupid people are born that way, too.
but ignorance is learned.
This article is retarded. I make it a habit not to trust "science" articles from Fox News.
please god let humans find a way to eradicate aids and homosexuality
This study silly and has absolutely no relevance to hetero/homosexual human behaviour. It seems a little homophobic.
What exactly is the suggestion here? That we drug a signficant number of the population to stifle their natural desires??
Perez, aren't YOU gay??? If so, you've got serious issues with your own sexuality.
Ridiculous study, written by idiots for idiots to try and substantiate an opinion with science. You can't tell whether a fly is gay or straight, just because of it may sometimes try and shag another male by mistake.
This is suggesting that sexuality is purely who you wanna fuck, making no concession for the emotions involved. Are they seriously wanting us to believe that flies not only are capable of these feelings, but of showing it in some way?
Perez, if you find this interesting, you're a simple minded fuckwit!
Re: Klara –
The two aren't linked, you retard. Aids is actually far more prevelant in heterosexuals. If it's too hard for you to understand, Google it.
Re: cocaine candy cane –
You're study for finals and yet you consider this to be a "useful" article?! There's no hope for the world with idiots like you being churned out. *snicker*
Do some research and learn a bit about the reality behind this type of article i.e. what's would be the political or religious implications? Which political stance does the news station publishing it take? How on earth are they able to tell whether or not a fruit fly is gay?
You know…the REAL useful things to know. Otherwise you'll end up another ignorant America, repeating what they've been fed by the TV - the world doesn't need anymore of us!
Btw, I'm American.
Scientist have been saying it for awhile that homosexuals are just like retards. There is definitely some flaw in the genes that makes you gay. A Fact that has also been discovered is alot of gay people are left handed too.. (not saying leftys are gay) so what ever is getting screwed up in their brain developement also affects the priority hand selection. This news brings the world much more closer to ridding the fags off the earth.
Re: huh –
That's a load of bullshit. Get off the net and go back to fuckin' yo sista.
Re: huh –
That's a load of bullshit. Get off the net and go back to fuckin' yo sista.
Re: huh –
Closet case, are we sweetie? Embrace your queerness!
Perez, maybe they can give some of this stuff to Tom, or John or Will for that matter.
Fruit flies
i thought all fruit flies were gay?
Being gay is not a choice,being a redneck is just inbreeding,but being a bigot is a choice rednecks make. Allan will you please tell me how your nazi plan will cure aids for one fourth of africa which is infected with the aids virus,cant use the gay hate card there. Cant wait till some disease infects southern christian republican males.I will react with glee and sarcasm.
Re: mike – Thanks Mike - how you explained it made sense of what they were saying - you should be a teacher. And to second something — Americans DO love their pills!
To all the people saying that homosexuality is a disorder/birth defect because of the gene thing; people have with blonde hair because of genetics. People have blue eyes because of genetics. People's skin colour is down to genetics. Do you consider any of them to be disorders or defects?
OK??