Genetic research is fun.
Most of it is the poke-it-with-a-stick-and-see-what-happens kind of research.
Korean scientists wanted to find out what the function of a certain gene in the mouse genome was by deleting it. The mice looked no different than usual, although maybe a bit less fat. To everyone's surprise though, the female mice lost interest in males. They even tried to seduce and mate with other female mice.
They named the gene... FucM. (It stands for fucose mutarotase, but it's just a funny coincidence.)
How does this work then?
After dissecting the mice (poor little things), the scientists found out that part of the hypothalamus (a part of the brain that controls lots of important hormones, sexual and not sexual) had changed. In normal mice, this part is 2 to 4 times bigger in females than in males. In the female mice with the deleted gene, this part of the brain is just as small as in the males. Apparently this gene regulates the effect of the female hormone oestrogen on the brain. If the gene is working, the brain will develop as a normal female, if not, whether because it has been deleted or by natural mutation, the mouse will be born lesbian.
And now the interesting part:
"Other researchers have shown that the neural circuits underlying male behaviours are likely to exist in the normal female mouse brain, and the reverse is probably true. It is also likely that the embryonic human brain has the capacity to differentiate along both the male and female pathways, depending upon exposure to sex hormones during the early stages of development."
The FucM gene is also in the human genome, but it's unlikely that it causes women to be gay. Just like in mice, the hypothalamus of gay people is different than in straight people, but this time, that change is caused by the hormone progesterone, and not by oestrogen. It is though only a matter of time before the actual human 'Gay Gene' (or even Gay Genes, which I think is more likely) will be found.
link: http://scienceblogs.com/neurophilosophy/2010/07/researchers_create_lesbian_mice.php
Edit: Oh and I forgot the discussion part.
I've noticed how many people (even here) are convinced that homosexuality can't be genetic.
If a gay gene would be found, would you think people would be more acceptive towards not-straight people, or wouldn't that change a thing because nobody knows a thing about genetics?
Most of it is the poke-it-with-a-stick-and-see-what-happens kind of research.
Korean scientists wanted to find out what the function of a certain gene in the mouse genome was by deleting it. The mice looked no different than usual, although maybe a bit less fat. To everyone's surprise though, the female mice lost interest in males. They even tried to seduce and mate with other female mice.
They named the gene... FucM. (It stands for fucose mutarotase, but it's just a funny coincidence.)
How does this work then?
After dissecting the mice (poor little things), the scientists found out that part of the hypothalamus (a part of the brain that controls lots of important hormones, sexual and not sexual) had changed. In normal mice, this part is 2 to 4 times bigger in females than in males. In the female mice with the deleted gene, this part of the brain is just as small as in the males. Apparently this gene regulates the effect of the female hormone oestrogen on the brain. If the gene is working, the brain will develop as a normal female, if not, whether because it has been deleted or by natural mutation, the mouse will be born lesbian.
And now the interesting part:
"Other researchers have shown that the neural circuits underlying male behaviours are likely to exist in the normal female mouse brain, and the reverse is probably true. It is also likely that the embryonic human brain has the capacity to differentiate along both the male and female pathways, depending upon exposure to sex hormones during the early stages of development."
The FucM gene is also in the human genome, but it's unlikely that it causes women to be gay. Just like in mice, the hypothalamus of gay people is different than in straight people, but this time, that change is caused by the hormone progesterone, and not by oestrogen. It is though only a matter of time before the actual human 'Gay Gene' (or even Gay Genes, which I think is more likely) will be found.
link: http://scienceblogs.com/neurophilosophy/2010/07/researchers_create_lesbian_mice.php
Edit: Oh and I forgot the discussion part.
I've noticed how many people (even here) are convinced that homosexuality can't be genetic.
If a gay gene would be found, would you think people would be more acceptive towards not-straight people, or wouldn't that change a thing because nobody knows a thing about genetics?
