Ethanol Metabolism Evolutionary Advantage

A single amino acid mutation in the ADH4 gene emerged approximately 10 million years ago in the last common ancestor of humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas-boosting their ability to metabolize ethanol by about 40 fold and enabling consumption of fermenting fruit without intoxication. As consuming rotten fruit that had fermented into alcohol could impair one's ability to forage or defend territory, this mutation was likely favored by natural selection during the transition to a more terrestrial, ground foraging lifestyle.

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