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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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Flies Gay, Straight, Gay Again

Researchers find genes, drugs can flip insects' sexuality

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(Newser) – Fruit flies were gay one hour and straight the next in a recent study in which researchers used drugs to flip the switch of sexuality, reports LiveScience. When scientists disabled a gene called genderblind, male flies courted other males; they reverted to pursuing females only hours later when given a gene and drug combo that altered brain synapses.

Genetics play a major role in fruit fly sexual preference. By altering flies’ synapses, researchers changed how flies perceived scents, particularly pheromones, which are thought to have a major impact in sexuality. "Sexual orientation is supposed to be hard-wired," said one researcher. "This fundamentally changes how we think about this behavior."

"It was very dramatic," said one researcher. "The GB mutant males treated other males exactly the same way normal male flies would treat a female. They even attempted copulation."   (User: TheAlphaWolf; Wikimedia Commons)
University of Illinois at Chicago researchers have discovered a gene in fruit flies they call
University of Illinois at Chicago researchers have discovered a gene in fruit flies they call "genderblind," or GB. A mutation in GB turns flies bisexual.   (User Aka; Wikimedia Commons)
When scientists in a recent study disabled a gene called genderblind, male flies courted other males; they reverted to pursuing females only hours later when given a gene and drug combo that altered brain synapses.
When scientists in a recent study disabled a gene called genderblind, male flies courted other males; they reverted to pursuing females only hours later when given a gene and drug combo that altered brain...   (Shutterstock.com)
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Fruit Fly under a microscope   (coondogtheman1234 (YouTube))

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...and even before that
Oregon State University

Swapping preference has been done before...
Independent (UK)


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genetics • homosexuality • sexual orientation • fruit flies • Genderblind

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