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US scientists use gene to create sexual buzz among fruit flies

The sexual preferences of fruit flies have been switched from gay to straight and back again with drugs and genetic engineering.

Scientists from the University of Illinois found that a mutation in a gene known as “gender-blind”, or GB, can make flies bisexual, and that manipulating its activity can switch this sexual trait on and off.

The findings would suggest that homosexuality has a clear biological basis, but that this is not necessarily hard-wired by the genes. A combination of genetic and environmental factors seems to be required.

While the research, led by David Featherstone, does not necessarily have direct implications for humans, whose brain and nervous system are far more complex, it does show that changes in biology can directly affect sexual behaviour.

“The GB mutant males treated other males the same way normal males would treat a female,” Dr Featherstone said. “They even attempted copulation.”

Drugs and genetic engineering were then used to manipulate synapse strength independently of the GB gene, with similar results. “I never thought we’d be able to do that sort of thing, because sexual orientation is supposed to be hard-wired,” he said. “This fundamentally changes how we think about this behaviour.”

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