Genetics linked to same-sex behavior, but there is no ‘gay gene,’ huge study indicates – Denton Daily
Posted: November 28, 2019 at 9:41 pm
CHICAGO The largest study of its kind found new evidence that genes contribute to same-sex sexual behavior, but it echoes research that says there are no specific genes that make people gay.
The genome-wide research on DNA from nearly half a million U.S. and U.K. adults identified five genetic variants not previously linked with gay or lesbian sexuality. The variants were more common in people who reported ever having had a same-sex sexual partner. That includes people whose partners were exclusively of the same sex and those who mostly reported heterosexual behavior.
The researchers said thousands more genetic variants likely are involved and interact with factors that arent inherited, but that none of them cause the behavior nor can predict whether someone will be gay.
The research provides the clearest glimpse yet into the genetic underpinnings of same-sex sexual behavior, said co-author Benjamin Neale, a psychiatric geneticist at the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
We also found that its effectively impossible to predict an individuals sexual behavior from their genome. Genetics is less than half of this story for sexual behavior but its still a very important contributing factor, Neale said.
The study was released Thursday by the journal Science. Results are based on genetic testing and survey responses.
Some of the genetic variants found were present in both men and women. Two in men were located near genes involved in male-pattern baldness and sense of smell, raising intriguing questions about how regulation of sex hormones and smell may influence same-sex behavior.
Importantly, most participants were asked about frequency of same-sex sexual behavior but not if they self-identified as gay or lesbian. Fewer than 5% of U.K. participants and about 19% of U.S. participants reported ever having a same-sex sexual experience.
The researchers acknowledged that limitation and emphasized that the studys focus was on behavior, not sexual identity or orientation. They also note that the study only involved people of European ancestry and cant answer whether similar results would be found in other groups.
Origins of same-sex behavior are uncertain. Some of the strongest evidence of a genetic link comes from studies in identical twins. Many scientists believe that social, cultural, family and other biological factors are also involved, while some religious groups and skeptics consider it a choice or behavior that can be changed.
A Science commentary notes that the five identified variants had such a weak effect on behavior that using the results for prediction, intervention or a supposed cure is wholly and unreservedly impossible.
Future work should investigate how genetic predispositions are altered by environmental factors, University of Oxford sociologist Melinda Mills said in the commentary.
Other experts not involved in the study had varied reactions.
Dr. Kenneth Kendler a specialist in psychiatric genetics at Virginia Commonwealth University, called it a very important paper that advances the study of the genetics of human sexual preference substantially. The results are broadly consistent with those obtained from the earlier technologies of twin and family studies suggesting that sexual orientation runs in families and is moderately heritable.
Former National Institutes of Health geneticist Dean Hamer said the study confirms that sexuality is complex and there are a lot of genes involved, but it isnt really about gay people. Having just a single same sex experience is completely different than actually being gay or lesbian, Hamer said. His research in the 1990s linked a marker on the X chromosome with male homosexuality. Some subsequent studies had similar results but the new one found no such link.
Doug Vanderlaan, a University of Toronto psychologist who studies sexual orientation, said the absence of information on sexual orientation is a drawback and makes it unclear what the identified genetic links might signify. They might be links to other traits, like openness to experience, Vanderlaan said.
The study is a collaboration among scientists including psychologists, sociologists and statisticians from the United States, United Kingdom, Europe and Australia. They did entire human genome scanning, using blood samples from the U.K. Biobank and saliva samples from customers of the U.S.-based ancestry and biotech company 23andMe who had agreed to participate in research.
Read this article:
Genetics linked to same-sex behavior, but there is no 'gay gene,' huge study indicates - Denton Daily
- HitXP Science of Genetics behind the Hindu Gotra System ... [Last Updated On: May 4th, 2015] [Originally Added On: May 4th, 2015]
- Size Genetics - Male Enhancement Reviews [Last Updated On: May 4th, 2015] [Originally Added On: May 4th, 2015]
- Male Infertility | Genetic Abnormalities or Male ... [Last Updated On: May 4th, 2015] [Originally Added On: May 4th, 2015]
- Male infertility - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: May 4th, 2015] [Originally Added On: May 4th, 2015]
- Androgenic alopecia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2015] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2015]
- Difference Between Male and Female BirdsGenetics and ... [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2015] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2015]
- URNotAlone Profile for Lynda Flores, Genetic Male Straight ... [Last Updated On: May 21st, 2015] [Originally Added On: May 21st, 2015]
- Understanding Genetics [Last Updated On: May 31st, 2015] [Originally Added On: May 31st, 2015]
- Male - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: May 31st, 2015] [Originally Added On: May 31st, 2015]
- WHO | Gender and Genetics [Last Updated On: May 31st, 2015] [Originally Added On: May 31st, 2015]
- The Genetics of Male Infertility - The Turek Clinic [Last Updated On: June 13th, 2015] [Originally Added On: June 13th, 2015]
- Male Hair Loss All You Need To Know - The Belgravia Centre [Last Updated On: June 29th, 2015] [Originally Added On: June 29th, 2015]
- Male-pattern hair loss - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: August 1st, 2015] [Originally Added On: August 1st, 2015]
- Genetics - biology [Last Updated On: August 2nd, 2015] [Originally Added On: August 2nd, 2015]
- Are People Born Gay? Genetics and Homosexuality [Last Updated On: August 20th, 2015] [Originally Added On: August 20th, 2015]
- Hormone and genetic study in male to female transsexual ... [Last Updated On: September 21st, 2015] [Originally Added On: September 21st, 2015]
- Cloning Myths - Learn Genetics [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2015] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2015]
- Sensorineural deafness and male infertility - Genetics ... [Last Updated On: October 17th, 2015] [Originally Added On: October 17th, 2015]
- Workable male sterility systems for hybrid rice: Genetics ... [Last Updated On: October 22nd, 2015] [Originally Added On: October 22nd, 2015]
- Proband - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: October 26th, 2015] [Originally Added On: October 26th, 2015]
- Y chromosome - Genetics Home Reference [Last Updated On: October 29th, 2015] [Originally Added On: October 29th, 2015]
- Genetics - NHS Choices [Last Updated On: November 1st, 2015] [Originally Added On: November 1st, 2015]
- Genetics / Does the male or female carrier the gene for twins. [Last Updated On: March 13th, 2016] [Originally Added On: March 13th, 2016]
- The Genetics of Balding | Understanding Genetics [Last Updated On: April 25th, 2016] [Originally Added On: April 25th, 2016]
- Male Infertility - Genetics & IVF Institute [Last Updated On: May 21st, 2016] [Originally Added On: May 21st, 2016]
- Scientist Explains the Genetics of Male Pattern Baldness [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2016]
- Definitions for Terms in Genetics Problems [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2016] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2016]
- Genetics of human male infertility. [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2016] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2016]
- BEHAVIORAL GENETICS: THE SCIENCE OF ... - PubMed Central (PMC) [Last Updated On: September 13th, 2016] [Originally Added On: September 13th, 2016]
- Review of the Status of Aquaculture Genetics [Last Updated On: September 13th, 2016] [Originally Added On: September 13th, 2016]
- Genetics of Skin Cancer (PDQ)Health Professional Version [Last Updated On: September 22nd, 2016] [Originally Added On: September 22nd, 2016]
- Genetics of Prostate Cancer (PDQ)Health Professional ... [Last Updated On: September 22nd, 2016] [Originally Added On: September 22nd, 2016]
- Genetics of Breast and Gynecologic Cancers (PDQ)Health ... [Last Updated On: September 28th, 2016] [Originally Added On: September 28th, 2016]
- Evolution - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: October 27th, 2016] [Originally Added On: October 27th, 2016]
- Human - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: November 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 12th, 2016]
- Genetics - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: November 23rd, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 23rd, 2016]
- Beefalo - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: December 4th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 4th, 2016]
- Drosophila melanogaster - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2016]
- Breast CancerPatient Version - National Cancer Institute [Last Updated On: January 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: January 6th, 2017]
- Sex - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: January 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: January 24th, 2017]
- The 44 Chromosome Man | Understanding Genetics [Last Updated On: February 5th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 5th, 2017]
- Binary thought suppresses identity - The Daily Evergreen [Last Updated On: February 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 8th, 2017]
- Tortoiseshell cat - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: February 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 8th, 2017]
- Entrepreneurship Is Genetic, And South Africa Is The Ideal Environment For Young Entrepreneurs To Thrive - Huffington Post South Africa (blog) [Last Updated On: February 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 8th, 2017]
- Women in Data Science conference highlights female participation in male-dominated field - Daily Free Press (subscription) [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- Male Contraceptives Have A Messy History And A Bright Future - Yahoo News [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- The impact of RABL2B gene (rs144944885) on human male infertility in patients with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia ... - UroToday [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- More Than 200 Baldness-Linked Genetic Markers Found - Yahoo News [Last Updated On: February 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 21st, 2017]
- Can Your Anxiety Impact How Long You Last In Bed? - Men's Health [Last Updated On: February 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 21st, 2017]
- Genetic data show mainly men migrated from the Pontic steppe to Europe 5000 years ago - Phys.Org [Last Updated On: February 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 21st, 2017]
- Men inherit male pattern baldness from their mum's side of the family ... - Metro [Last Updated On: February 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 21st, 2017]
- Experts Are One Step Closer To Predicting A Man's Risk For Hair Loss - Huffington Post [Last Updated On: February 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 21st, 2017]
- Baldness linked to over 280 genes - BioNews [Last Updated On: February 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 21st, 2017]
- Genetic basis for male baldness identified in large-scale study - Medical News Today [Last Updated On: February 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 21st, 2017]
- Genetic data show mainly men migrated from the Pontic steppe to ... - Science Daily [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2017]
- Thousands of horsemen may have swept into Bronze Age Europe, transforming the local population - Science Magazine [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2017]
- Cohen wins Gates grant for her new take on male contraception - Cornell Chronicle [Last Updated On: June 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 23rd, 2017]
- A Florida higher-ed official said women's genetics may be keeping ... - Washington Post [Last Updated On: June 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 23rd, 2017]
- Florida higher education official said women may earn less than men because of genetics - New York Daily News [Last Updated On: June 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 23rd, 2017]
- Twins Separated at Birth Reveal Staggering Influence of ... [Last Updated On: June 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 23rd, 2017]
- Scientific studies favor male miceand that could hurt a lot of humans - Popular Science [Last Updated On: July 1st, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 1st, 2017]
- So Cal mountain lions' low genetic diversity threatens population - Davis Enterprise [Last Updated On: July 1st, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 1st, 2017]
- Horse Tale: Oriental Stallions Dominate Horse DNA, Gene Study Shows - NBCNews.com [Last Updated On: July 1st, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 1st, 2017]
- sex chromosome | genetics | Britannica.com [Last Updated On: July 1st, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 1st, 2017]
- The problematics of genetics and the Aryan issue - The Hindu [Last Updated On: July 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 3rd, 2017]
- Scientists arming new weapon against dengue, malaria mosquitoes - The Indian Express [Last Updated On: July 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 3rd, 2017]
- Fertility and Genetics - Affordable High Quality Fertility ... [Last Updated On: July 5th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 5th, 2017]
- Aryan Invasion May Have Transformed India's Bronze-Age Population - Live Science [Last Updated On: July 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 6th, 2017]
- How Masculinity Can Be Bad For Men's Health - WUNC [Last Updated On: July 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 6th, 2017]
- Nilgiris pale tiger an 'aberrant genetic mutation' - The Hindu [Last Updated On: July 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 8th, 2017]
- Evolution and war: The 'deep roots' theory of human violence - Genetic Literacy Project [Last Updated On: July 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 8th, 2017]
- Hair loss in men: THIS shower habit could be why you're going bald - Express.co.uk [Last Updated On: July 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 10th, 2017]
- Don't Blame Your Mom's Dad for Male Pattern Baldness - Inverse [Last Updated On: July 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 13th, 2017]
- Falling sperm counts are linked to endocrine-disrupting chemicals - MinnPost [Last Updated On: July 31st, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 31st, 2017]
- Should genetic engineering be used as a tool for conservation? - chinadialogue [Last Updated On: July 31st, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 31st, 2017]
- Trinity Researchers Lead Analysis of Portugal and Spain's Genetic History - The University Times [Last Updated On: July 31st, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 31st, 2017]
- Williams Professor Wins Grants to Study Evolutionary Genetics - iBerkshires.com [Last Updated On: July 31st, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 31st, 2017]
- History News of the Week: The Biblical Canaanites' Modern Descendants - New Historian [Last Updated On: July 31st, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 31st, 2017]
- When the male fruit fly gets a headache - Haaretz [Last Updated On: July 31st, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 31st, 2017]
- Genetics LadyFrontbum [Last Updated On: July 31st, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 31st, 2017]