![]() Thus, by studying twins, the researchers could control for genetic differences and tease out the effect of methylation. While identical twins have exactly the same genetic sequence, environmental factors lead to differences in how their DNA is methylated. This process can be triggered by hormonal effects on the growing foetus in the womb. The research looked at a process called 'methylation' of the DNA – which has been compared to a switch on the DNA – making it have a stronger or weaker effect. Using a computer program called Fuzzy Forest they found that nine small regions of the genetic code played the key role on deciding whether someone is heterosexual or homosexual. The study involved 37 pairs of twins in which one brother was homosexual and the other heterosexual, and 10 pairs in which both were homosexual. To pinpoint the genetic areas which are linked to some people being gay, Dr Ngun and his team studied the genes of 47 pairs of adult male identical twins. ![]() This finding has led scientists to believe there is a genetic component to being gay. Identical twins usually – but not always – have the same sexuality. Dr Tuck Ngun, from the University of California at Los Angeles said: 'To our knowledge, this is the first example of a predictive model for sexual orientation based on molecular markers.'
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