More than just X and Y: New genetic basis for sex determination
The team found that miRNAs are essential for sex determination even after an animal has grown to adulthood. “They send signals that allow germ cells, i.e., eggs and sperm, to develop, ensuring fertility,” Fagegaltier explains. “Removing one miRNA from mature, adult flies causes infertility.” More than that, these flies begin to produce both male and female sex-determinants. “In a sense, once they have lost this miRNA, the flies become male and female at the same time,” according to Fagegaltier. “It is amazing that the very smallest genes can have such a big effect on sexual identity.”
Some miRNAs examined in the study, such as let-7, have been preserved by evolution because of their utility; humans and many other animals carry versions of them. “This is probably just the tip of the iceberg,” says Fagegaltier. “There are likely many more miRNAs regulating sexual identity at the cellular and tissue level, but we still have a lot to learn about these differences in humans, and how they could contribute to developmental defects and disease.”
Where oh where is Dr Fruitfly in all of this?
What are the consequences to AGW and to the CO2 output for these flies?
Surely there is much more to come, like how the liberal party platform will be trying to tax these flies? Or should I say tax the little people, so these flies can continue to reproduce their non sex offspring or in the very least find a way to make their offspring fertile. Or perhaps pass a law to make sure everyone recognizes these flies and their rights.
So much to do, so little time…………
Woody
The gay gene is not far behind. I’ll grab the popcorn and await the fireworks between the gay mafia and the pro-choice and extreme feminazy movements.
“FAGegaltier”?!!!
Well, no wonder…
Sodom and Gomorrah would rejoice. 🙁
“developmental defects and disease”
Exactly
Does that mean, in any way, that we may have an end to those idiotic, freak shows known as Pride Parades? Talk about a pie in the face …. they are the circuses one would expect just before the end of a society. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
“Removing one miRNA from mature, adult flies causes infertility.” More than that, these flies begin to produce both male and female sex-determinants. “In a sense, once they have lost this miRNA, the flies become male and female at the same time,”
In a sense, eh? How about, in the sense of the actual meaning of infertility, the are neither male nor female, but neutered.
Happens a lot in the insect world, ants and bees for example.
Let’s not forget these a-holes are following in Dr. David Suzuki’s footsteps.
another comment goes to SDA Purgatory.
Ha!! Nicely quoted OMMAG.
I liked it better when human beings where individuals not bits of DNA or its attachments.
Frankly genetic determinism is just another theory which will be shown to be BS like all the rest of these ruminations.
I don’t go along with then nature nurture folks either.
Please can I have my earlier comment released?
SDA Purgatory must be quite large. A lot of my comments have ended up there. Oh Oz, how many of yours have disappeared?
And why? Certainly the bad word filter is ultra-sensitive. Indeed, some of Ms. McMillan’s own comments wouldn’t get by it.
A lot of mine go there, and are never released, especially not in real time, when the thread is still live and the discussion ongoing.
Last week one of my comments went to Purgatory simply because it had the word….s-e-x.
It was the last comment on the thread about that ISIS Jihadi marrying the 9 year old blond girl wrapped in the ISIS Black flag.
People were saying he might be her teacher but I observed that in their culture only members of the same family get to hug if they’re the opposite *s-e-x*.
implication if otherwise—–makes drawing finger across the throat gesture
At last an explanation for freaks of nature. We now know Mother Nature is more complex than we ever imagined. However, given the growing number of humans being endowed with equipment that doesn’t jive with their sexual urges maybe we should wonder if this is nature’s way of ending the species? If so, maybe the grotesque displays called Pride parades which politicians feel the need to attend are misguided, this is nothing to be celebrating.
I was raised in a time and period of “stay away from homosexuals”, my Mother bless her, was the one who set up the uncomfortable feeling I have when in the presence of homosexual people. One of the friends she relied on for stress support was a woman who’s husband died at the age of 42 from heart failure. This was all contemporary with my Father becoming ill.
Any way this friend had 3 sons and two daughters, whereas my Mother had 3 sons and one daughter. The friend’s middle son declared himself or was discovered to be living with a known homosexual. I was the middle son in our family and from that point on my Mother became stressed whenever there was even a whiff of my being in the presence of a homosexual. Another known homosexual lived across the street in a large house on a large lot and the neighbourhood kids played around there.
Last week my Wife had a knee replacement in Toronto in a hospital, which among our oldest Son’s and Daughter-in-Law is known as “boy’s town” neighbourhood. The Daughter -in-Law is a professional musician and one of their groups of friends is from Toronto’s entertainment culture
When I mentioned feeling uncomfortable walking along the streets to have lunch or dinner while the operation and initial recovery was taking place. My Daughter-in -Law quickly said “i have a lot of gay friends”. Not being sure if this was mentioned so i wouldn’t feel uncomfortable around gays or if she wanted this type of comment to stop, I changed the discussion topic.
Later on when I was talking with our oldest Son I mentioned the conversation with his spouse, he shrugged and said; “I didn’t start the use of “boy’s town”. I said back in my day the term was “queer ville”.
I am sure feeling uncomfortable around homosexuals will remain my normal reaction, but I am convinced being uncomfortable in such situations does not make me a bad person. Cheers