Teresa Binstock (binstoct at essex.UCHSC.edu) wrote:
: addendum #5: experimental protocol:
: EVALUATION OF OTHER CELLS re: ste2 & ste3
:: Recently, I set forth an immunological hypothesis regarding sexual- and gender-
: orientations (S/O and G/O) and variations thereof (1). In response, several
: individuals inquired about ways to explore the possible role of nasal mucosal
: T-cells and related immunological processes in sexually significant chemical
: signaling between mammals including humans.
: A useful next step:
: Evaluation of mammalian cells other than the thymic epithelium
: for the cell-surface presence of ste2 and ste3,
: especially within cells of nasal mucosa and epidermis.
: Rationale:
: 1. ste2 and ste3 are the sexually dimorphic cell surface receptors for a-factor and
: alpha-factor pheromones in S. Cerevisiae (2).
:: 2. Many S. Cerevisiae molecules (eg, GnRH) are homologous to similar
: molecules in humans and other mammals (3-5).
: 3. Cell surface proteins highly homologous to ste2 and ste3 are
: expressed on cells
: of the human thymic epithelium (6), a basic component in T-cell maturation
: toward functional specificity.
ste2 and ste3 belong to the G-protein coupled receptor (GCR) superfamily,
and large family used for many purposes including vision (rhodopsin).
Trying to draw a link between yeast mating and human gender determination
via GCR isn't particularly compelling; GCR's are ubiquitous.
Keith Robison
Harvard University
Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology
Department of Genetics
robison at mito.harvard.edu
