Male Homosexuality: Absence of Linkage to Microsatellite Markers at Xq28
George Rice,
1*
Carol Anderson,
1
Neil Risch,
2
George Ebers
1
Several lines of evidence have implicated genetic factors in
homosexuality. The most compelling observation has been the report of
genetic linkage of male homosexuality to microsatellite markers on the
X chromosome. This observation warranted further study and
confirmation. Sharing of alleles at position Xq28 was studied in 52 gay
male sibling pairs from Canadian families. Four markers at Xq28 were
analyzed (DXS1113, BGN, Factor 8, and DXS1108). Allele and haplotype
sharing for these markers was not increased over expectation. These
results do not support an X-linked gene underlying male homosexuality.
1 Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences,
University of Western Ontario, 339 Windermere Road, London, Ontario,
Canada, N6A 5A5.
2 Department of Genetics, Stanford
Medical School, Palo Alto, CA 94305-5120, USA.
*
To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail
grice{at}julian.uwo.ca