How to tell if your pet fruit fly is gay

[undeterred]

When the genetically altered fruit fly was released into the observation chamber, it did what these breeders par excellence tend to do. It pursued a waiting virgin female. It gently tapped the girl with its leg, played her a song (using wings as instruments) and, only then, dared to lick her - all part of standard fruit fly seduction.

The observing scientist looked with disbelief at the show, for the suitor in this case was not a male, but a female that researchers had artificially endowed with a single male-type gene.

That one gene, the researchers are announcing today in the journal Cell, is apparently by itself enough to create patterns of sexual behavior - a kind of master sexual gene that normally exists in two distinct male and female variants.

In a series of experiments, the researchers found that females given the male variant of the gene acted exactly like males in courtship, madly pursuing other females. Males that were artificially given the female version of the gene became more passive and turned their sexual attention to other males.

[iamjoy]

1. Well, It Is A *Fruit* Fly

:P

[tigereye]

2. this is really interesting research

hope it isn't badly misused.... I can imagine the fundie ranting...

[undeterred]

3. And its in CELL, which is a major scientific journal

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1519203

[LeftCoast]

4. As soon as they come up with a genetic test for homosexuality

the fundies will suddenly drop their opposition to abortion.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

5. It's humbling, really...

to think that only one gene seperates me from RuPaul.

[undeterred]

6. Well, in a human

maybe 2 or 3 genes...

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

7. I assume one of them controls the shoe-buying impulse

.

[MissB]

9. I must have the male version of that gene

I hate buying shoes. :P

[undeterred]

10. yeah there's probably a whole bunch of things like that

:shrug:

[khashka]

8. Yes but was it videotaped?

Don't bring up the lesbian issue without pix, damn it!


Khash.

[undeterred]

11. He's watching it