Subject:
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Re: New poll: sexuality and Lugnet
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Tue, 21 Sep 2004 15:28:41 GMT
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Viewed:
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1133 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Christopher L. Weeks wrote:
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Cynthia Bradham wrote:
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The point I was
trying to make is that identifying gene/s that are involved in sexual
orientation preferences is no small task, and even finding an associated
gene would be just the first step.
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Yeah, I got all that and I hope I wasn’t diluting your point.
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There are some genes that are
rearranged later in life, mostly in the immune system. Some immune-like
proteins also exist in the brain, and could be subject to rearrangements as
well. No one really understands exactly how these genes get rearranged
(like, is it random or directed?), but it is within the realm of possibility
that some rearrangements could be triggered by environmental or behavioral
cues. A bit far-fetched, granted. That being said, sexuality is an extremely
complex thing, and is probably not controlled by any single gene.
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That’s super-cool. I had no idea. Is there a term for this phenomenon that
I can google for?
Chris
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Chris-
This incredible process was discovered when people began to realize that we each
have too many different antibody proteins, and that our DNA isn’t long enough to
encode them all. Eventually they figured out that each antibody-producing cell
rearranges it’s DNA to produce a unique antibody gene & protein. You could look
in a genetics or immunology text book for the specifics. I just googled ‘gene
rearrangement’ (this is the term) and got hits, but mostly about the immune
system. Try this link: http://www.imcb.osaka-u.ac.jp/en/seminar/06a.html which
specifically talks about gene rearrangements in the nervous system. It’s pretty
amazing, isn’t it? Cyndi
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: New poll: sexuality and Lugnet
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| (...) See also the novels of Greg Bear, who seems to riff on some of this stuff quite a bit. You might just get a lot of confused views rather than good solid scientific info but you might just enjoy the reads... (I just finished Vitals which (...) (20 years ago, 21-Sep-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate, FTX)
| | | Re: New poll: sexuality and Lugnet
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| (...) Okay, so that works on an individual celular level, with cells that have evolved specifically to do this. Do you really think something as tied to the core psychology of self as sexual orientation would be post-natally programmable at the (...) (20 years ago, 21-Sep-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate, FTX)
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