Gene Regulation May Explain Homosexuality

[Andeavor]

The search for a "gay gene" may be off-target, new research finds. Another process called epigenetics that switches genes on and off may explain why homosexuality runs in families.

Epigenetics are heritable changes caused by factors other than DNA. Instead of traits getting passed down through the genes, epigenetic change happens because of the way genes are regulated, or turned on and off.

These genetic regulators may be the reason homosexuality persists in nature despite the fact that gay people are less likely to reproduce, suggests the new study published in the journal The Quarterly Review of Biology.

"These things have evolved because they're good for the parents, but they sometimes, not [with] high frequency, but sometimes carry over" into offspring, study researcher William Rice, an evolutionary geneticist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, told LiveScience. In a male fetus, Rice and his colleagues write, an epigenetic change that benefited the mother may lead to "feminization" of sexual preference — homo- or bisexuality. The same may be true for epigenetic changes passed down by dad to a female fetus. (The terms feminization and masculinization of sexual preference refer to sexual orientation only — not to physical or personality traits of the offspring.)

The findings add to past research suggesting gay men haven't died out, because female relatives of gay men tend to have more children on average than other females. The study researchers specifically found that two genes passed on through the maternal line could produce this effect.

Full article here:

http://www.livescience.com/25431-gen...sexuality.html

Now we all know whose fault it is: mother...

[lannister80]

Originally Posted by Cited Article

These genetic regulators may be the reason homosexuality persists in nature despite the fact that gay people are less likely to reproduce, suggests the new study published in the journal The Quarterly Review of Biology.

Well, maybe having a certain small percentage of non-breeding individuals helps a group survive better. It's not all about each individual's ability to successfully reproduce, but the groups.

Bee colonies have lots and lots of non-reproducing members, and have for millions of years.

[iJohnHenry]

Originally Posted by lannister80

Bee colonies have lots and lots of non-reproducing members, and have for millions of years.

But bees don't have religions.

[haxrnick]

Originally Posted by iJohnHenry

But bees don't have religions.

Did they tell you that?

[blevins321]

Originally Posted by haxrnick

Did they tell you that?

Good point. Maybe honey is their holy water.

[skottichan]

Originally Posted by blevins321

Good point. Maybe honey is their holy water.

It's just their vomit. Holy water is just tap water that's prayed over and blessed, so... just tap water.

[iJohnHenry]

Originally Posted by skottichan

It's just their vomit. Holy water is just tap water that's prayed over and blessed, so... just tap water.

Please, I'm eating here.

Regurgitation, if you would.