Scientists create lesbian mice: has the 'Gay Gene' been found?

[Jovlo]

If there's a gay-gene, there is also a straight-gene.
Preference for one gene or the other would be cultural, and since science should be above that, it all doesn't matter.

Interestingly enough, the 'Gay Gene' and the 'Straight Gene' are exactly the same gene.
Only they are different alleles of that gene (in English: variations).
It's like eye colour: There's a gene that codes for the enzyme that makes pigments that make your eyes brown.
If that gene has mutated, that enzyme doesn't work properly, and no brown pigment will be made. Your eyes will be blue instead.

The 'Gay Gene' is the 'Straight Gene', but it has mutated and lost it's function.

 

[Dexiro]

I thought the gay gene had been found like 2 years ago. Nice that they've found the gene for mice too though, whatever keeps them busy ;D

 

[tomtom94]

Can they prove that it had nothing to do with the upbringing of the mice? Until then, I refuse to believe in a "gay gene".

I'm assuming you are anti-homosexuality, as if it were nurture, that would mean that the people morons saying that it's a choice are right.

I'm alright with gays, I just believe that it's not genetic. In the same way that being a psychopath is often influenced by upbringing, but being generally a very angry person is genetic.

Oh, and by the by, there's a reason that many public schoolboys come out later in life.

That's just it, not every psychopath had a bad life. There are plenty of well off nutjobs out there. Some people are just born insane, some are born retarded, some are born intelligent, some are born other things.

Sanity and intelligence are...not quantifiable but...they're more set in stone, if you catch my drift.

How you interact with other people, what you think of them, and who you are sexually attracted to, is developed over time, and dependent on past interactions. I'm pretty sure scientists have never found a "shyness" gene.

 

[bobknowsall]

So how do you explain bisexuality?

You don't. Besides, the explanation would probably just be disappointing.

OT: These are mice we're talking about, so behaviour-changing genes in their genome are not identical to ours. The transition from small, non-sentient animals to sapient beings would be tricky.

 

[Jovlo]

No, it isn't ethical. It's like trying to "cure" a dark skin tone: opressive, bigoted, and ultimately futile.

Or trying to cure heterosexuality. Let's face it, we're running out of planet here...

That, good sire, is the funniest thing i've seen today. Well played!

Not only that, but it's a actually a pretty good idea. Earth can handle about 1 Billion human beings. We're 6.7 Billion strong.

Am I the only one who is reminded to this episode of South Park with all those immigrants coming from the future?
And how they decided to solve that problem? Hilarious episode.

 

[Circleseer]

If there's a gay-gene, there is also a straight-gene.
Preference for one gene or the other would be cultural, and since science should be above that, it all doesn't matter.

Interestingly enough, the 'Gay Gene' and the 'Straight Gene' are exactly the same gene.
Only they are different alleles of that gene (in English: variations).
It's like eye colour: There's a gene that codes for the enzyme that makes pigments that make your eyes brown.
If that gene has mutated, that enzyme doesn't work properly, and no brown pigment will be made. Your eyes will be blue instead.

The 'Gay Gene' is the 'Straight Gene', but it has mutated and lost it's function.

You suggest there is a 'right way' for genes to work.
That is not true. There is no right or wrong in genetics, just differences. Even genes that cause you to die aren't 'wrong', they just won't get passed on, and thus die out.

You probably know that, but avoid terms like 'work properly', because it's all random in the end.

 

[2fish]

If this turns out to be a big thing not only in the science world but in the real world then I fear people may want their kids tested for the gay gene. It does make some sense but I have a few questions.

1. Other than the brain and mating activities how do we know these were lesbian mice and not geneticly confused mice? Did someone ask them about their feelings?
2. How does the bi-sexual gene work? Is it like a 50-50 split?
3. If it turns out it is all genetic, and people don't really have a choice, how will the religious fanatics deny it?

 

[Kollega]

That, good sire, is the funniest thing i've seen today. Well played!

Not only that, but it's a actually a pretty good idea. Earth can handle about 1 Billion human beings. We're 6.7 Billion strong.

Jokes aside... turning everybody gay/lesbian to reduce world population is far more humane than World War 3 or something like that. So there might be something useful here. And quite, quite hilarious.

 

[Seydaman]

When they find it, well, good for them?
It'll probably make being gay more acceptable, hopefully.
If there turns out to be no gene and it's all things like how we're brought up ect, then that's cool too.

 

[Choppaduel]

I`m going to paraphrase some famous psychologist who name I can`t recall and find through google, he said pretty much this: "Behavior is the product of the person and the situation"

and I abstract that statement to this, that nurture v nature must actually be the combination of the two. Thus, homosexuality is not a disease and can be probably be prevented. I believe that are genetic factors contributing to homosexuality, but these can only lead to it if the situations the person has experienced allows it to.

As to whether or not its ethical to anything to prevent, or ensure, one sexuality over the other. I don't know.

As an aside,

Or trying to cure heterosexuality. Let's face it, we're running out of planet here...

He raises an interesting point. the planets population is quite high and growing.

 

[Jovlo]

I'm pretty sure scientists have never found a "shyness" gene.

I remember reading about a study that claimed being extrovert or introvert was at least partially genetically determined.
Even a mother's love is genetic in mice. My biology text book had a piece about how female mice with a certain mutated gene would neglect their offspring. Of course it's mice again, compared to us more complicated humans.

 

[Circleseer]

How about investing more money in curing cancer, and less in curing gay?
Just a thought.

Haven't we, as a civilization, come to the point where we do away with all the petty BS like racism, sexism, and so on?



Eh, who am I kidding.

 

[snow]

Well, from my open-minded yet non-educated viewpoint, i can see two things - one good and one bad.

The good one is that if there are in fact "gay genes" or something similar, then it means sexuality is not exactly a choice. It would also mean that discrimination against homosexuals is pretty close to racism in some aspects.

The bad one is that if it's true, some parents would try to modify their not-yet-born children's genes so they would become straight (as was parodied above when i was still typing).

Just try not to bash me for all the things i've probably got wrong here, alright? I have the best intentions in mind.

No worries, I thought of this as well. By discovering such a gene, there will be groups out there that will try to push for some sort of fix. This might just cause more trouble than it's worth really.

 

[Circleseer]

I'm pretty sure scientists have never found a "shyness" gene.

I remember reading about a study that claimed being extrovert or introvert was at least partially genetically determined.
Even a mother's love is genetic in mice. My biology text book had a piece about how female mice with a certain mutated gene would neglect their offspring. Of course it's mice again, compared to us more complicated humans.

Because we test on mice in labs.

Testing on people is unethical.


And everything is genetics eventually, since it's how your body is built up. Your capacity to feel certain emotions can probably be influenced by genes too.

 

[Jovlo]

If there's a gay-gene, there is also a straight-gene.
Preference for one gene or the other would be cultural, and since science should be above that, it all doesn't matter.

Interestingly enough, the 'Gay Gene' and the 'Straight Gene' are exactly the same gene.
Only they are different alleles of that gene (in English: variations).
It's like eye colour: There's a gene that codes for the enzyme that makes pigments that make your eyes brown.
If that gene has mutated, that enzyme doesn't work properly, and no brown pigment will be made. Your eyes will be blue instead.

The 'Gay Gene' is the 'Straight Gene', but it has mutated and lost it's function.

You suggest there is a 'right way' for genes to work.
That is not true. There is no right or wrong in genetics, just differences. Even genes that cause you to die aren't 'wrong', they just won't get passed on, and thus die out.

You probably know that, but avoid terms like 'work properly', because it's all random in the end.

You're right, and I'm sorry if I offended anyone by that choice of words, that's not what I meant.
Nature is cold and uncaring. There is no right or wrong, and genetics are nothing more than the lottery.

 

[Seydaman]

If this turns out to be a big thing not only in the science world but in the real world then I fear people may want their kids tested for the gay gene. It does make some sense but I have a few questions.

1. Other than the brain and mating activities how do we know these were lesbian mice and not geneticly confused mice? Did someone ask them about their feelings?
2. How does the bi-sexual gene work?
3. If it turns out it is all genetic, and people don't really have a choice, how will the religious fanatics deny it?

1. Mice are smart, uhm...sort of...I guess, well anyway, if they were confused I would assume they would be trying to fuck both genders. Mating is really all there is to mice "feelings" atleast concerning mice "love". Which is really just a mice thinking *SEXSEXSEXSEXSEXSEXSEXSEXSEXSEXSEX*
2. Probably having the straight gene and the gay gene together?
3. They'll say their deitie(s) made a mistake and try to ruin peoples lives, by taking them to camps and doing inhumane things to them. At least that's a guess.

 

[Mrsoupcup]

Ummm, ya that's interesting.

"And I'm okay with it" Lawls, that made my the milk I was drinking come out of my nose. XD

 

[2fish]

That, good sire, is the funniest thing i've seen today. Well played!

Not only that, but it's a actually a pretty good idea. Earth can handle about 1 Billion human beings. We're 6.7 Billion strong.

Jokes aside... turning everybody gay/lesbian to reduce world population is far more humane than World War 3 or something like that. So there might be something useful here. And quite, quite hilarious.

They did something like that in one of my favorite books, the forever war by Joe Haldeman.

Don't want to ruin this if you want to read the book

Spoiler

The government asked all the strights to move to once location and put up an add campaign to make people bi or gay

I am still waiting to find the smart gene and the gamer gene, I must build my child from scratch!