Genetics Holds the key to love at first sight

Does love at first really exist? In fact genetics may have the answer to a question that has bewildered many. From a study published in April 09 , in the issue of the journal “ Genetics” , a team of American and Australian scientists have undergone a series of experiments , which have discovered through a genetic level, that some males and females are more companionable than others. It is this “companionability” which plays a significant part in the “mate selection, mating outcomes and future reproduction behaviour.”

In experiments with fruit flies , it was researched that before mating, the female fruit flies ,contain a genetic factor involved to make them more likely to mate with a particular male, rather than others. Marina Wolfner, a Professor of Developmental Biology at Cornell University suggested that “ Our research helps to shed light on the complex biochemistry involved in mate selection and reproduction”.

But not only can these findings solve the puzzling question of love at first sight, but the results could also mean that populations can be genetically altered by activating or deactivating genes which play a role in these mating decisions. Marina Wolfner suggested that “ These findings may lead to ways to curb unwanted insect populations..”

The scientific team also undertook another experiment, by mating two different strains of fruit fly females to males, and noted the males and females which tended to mate and also the behaviour after mating, as well as reproduction activities; such as the amount of offspring produced or the amount of sperm stored. Also examined was the RNA of females, which was used to compare what genes were expressed in females, when mated to males of different strains. From these results the conclusion established was that the genetic changes for mate selection and reproduction, happened before mating even began.

Mark Johnston , editor of the Journal “GENETICS” concludes “ It appears that females really do care about the character of their consorts, but they may not have as much control over our choice of mates as they’d like to think”.

Original article: (http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/foas-ila040709.php)