Gene change alters furryness in fruit flies

NEW YORK - Altering a single gene in fruit flies can turn them into furries, causing the insects to lose interest in other fruit flies and display mating rituals to animals such as rabbits and cats, according to a study published in the journal Cell on Friday.

The research by Kitty Fokir and John L Wolfe of the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences into the workings of a "switch gene" touched on the scientific debate about whether genes or environment determine a human's sexual attraction to talking animals.

"Altering this gene causes the fruit flies to try to mate with mammals," the study said. "When shown pictures of 'furries' from Internet sites, the fruit flies became very excited and tried to mate with the pictures as well."

"This strange behaviour is triggered by a single gene mutation."

R J Byrd, a furry activist, spoke out on the issue. "This proves that furries are born the way we are and do not choose to be sexually attracted to animals. Hopefully this will show the end of fursecution everywhere."

I M Akow agreed. "It won't be long before they find the switch gene that makes us otherkin [humans who believe they have the souls of animals]. Then those Nazi bastards will have to leave us alone."

The researchers said they have already begun work with other scientists to test for switch genes that might be linked to other behavioral patterns like anime-watching.

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