Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    Menu
    Natural Sciences
    Health
    History & Humanities
    Space & Astronomy
    Technology
    Culture
    Resources
    Natural Sciences

    Physics

    • Matter and Energy
    • Quantum Mechanics
    • Thermodynamics

    Chemistry

    • Periodic Table
    • Applied Chemistry
    • Materials
    • Physical Chemistry

    Biology

    • Anatomy
    • Biochemistry
    • Ecology
    • Genetics
    • Microbiology
    • Plants and Fungi

    Geology and Paleontology

    • Planet Earth
    • Earth Dynamics
    • Rocks and Minerals
    • Volcanoes
    • Dinosaurs
    • Fossils

    Animals

    • Mammals
    • Birds
    • Fish
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians
    • Invertebrates
    • Pets
    • Conservation
    • Animals Facts

    Climate and Weather

    • Climate Change
    • Weather and Atmosphere

    Geography

    Mathematics

    Health
    • Drugs
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Human Body
    • Mind and Brain
    • Food and Nutrition
    • Wellness
    History & Humanities
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Economics
    • History
    • People
    • Sociology
    Space & Astronomy
    • The Solar System
    • The Sun
    • The Moon
    • Planets
    • Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
    • Astronomy
    • Astrophysics
    • Cosmology
    • Exoplanets and Alien Life
    • Spaceflight and Exploration
    Technology
    • Computer Science & IT
    • Engineering
    • Inventions
    • Sustainability
    • Renewable Energy
    • Green Living
    Culture
    • Culture and Society
    • Bizarre Stories
    • Lifestyle
    • Art and Music
    • Gaming
    • Books
    • Movies and Shows
    Resources
    • How To
    • Science Careers
    • Metascience
    • Fringe Science
    • Science Experiments
    • School and Study
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Environment → Animals

Origins of alcohol consumption traced back to 10-million-year-old common ancestor

Tibi Puiu by Tibi Puiu
February 19, 2013
in Animals, Anthropology, Health

Now, I’m not advocating alcohol consumption, but truth be told most of us take alcohol for granted, and I’m not referring to abusing either. Millions of years ago, our ancestors and primate relatives had a very poor ability of metabolizing ethanol — the alcohol in beer, wine and spirits — and were it not for their pioneering “work”, we humans might have not been able to enjoy alcoholic spirits the way we do today.

(c) Ikiwaner/Wikimedia Commons
(c) Ikiwaner/Wikimedia Commons

Chemist Steven Benner of the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution in Gainesville, Fla believes that our first ancestor capable of metabolizing ethanol may have lived 10 million years ago, after him and colleagues reconstructed  alcohol-metabolizing enzymes of extinct primates.

To break down ethanol, humans like most primates use an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase 4 or ADH4, for short. Since the enzyme is fairly common through out the esophagus, stomach and intestines, it is the very first line that meets alcohol when a person drinks, and thus is the most important component in breaking down ethanol. However, not all primates have the same working ADH4, as some can’t even effectively metabolize ethanol – poor fellows.

Alcohol consumption: a tradition worth million of years

The researchers analyzed the stretches of DNA referring to ADH4 in 27 modern primate species, including lemurs, monkeys, apes and humans. In the meantime estimates of extinct primates’ enzyme genetic code was made; enzymes that were then rebuilt in the lab and analyzed in order to gain a better understanding of how these work. Equipped with this new found data, the researchers mapped the DNA sequences on a primate family tree in order to see how the genes changed in key points of the tree, like the branching points, typically corresponding to extinct primates.

Their results show that most primate ancestors wouldn’t have been able to metabolize ethanol, however at a certain branching point that lead to the evolution of modern day primates like gorillas, chimps or humans – corresponding to an ancestor that lived roughly 10 million years ago – the enzyme became capable of digesting alcohol. The jump is rather staggering since the enzyme is believed to have been 50 times more efficient than those in earlier ancestors.

Obviously, a catalyst was required and the scientists hypothesize that it was during that time that our tree dwelling ancestors began to explore the ground level more. It is here they might have found fruit fallen from the trees that fermented its sugars into ethanol. Individuals that could metabolize the alcohol in these fruits better than those who didn’t had a better chance at surviving, and thus the enzyme became stronger in generations to come.

But it may be too soon to link metabolizing ethanol with living on the ground, said Jeremy DeSilva, a biological anthropologist at Boston University. “There’s very little fossil evidence from the general time period when humans, gorillas and chimpanzees last shared a common ancestor.”

Benner exposed his idea during a talk at the recent American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting. In the meantime, I can’t help myself posting this incredibly hilarious video that shows what effects alcohol has on primates and other animals. Not surprisingly, they don’t behave too differently from our own human debaucheries.

Was this helpful?


Thanks for your feedback!

Related posts:
  1. Ancient 420-million-year-old fossil hints of bony fish and cartilaginous fish common ancestor
  2. Humans and sharks last shared a common ancestor 440 million years ago
  3. Light/Moderate Alcohol Consumption associated with better Memory in Later Life
  4. Moderate Alcohol Consumption Could Actually Help Your Heart
  5. Even light alcohol consumption increases cancer risk
Tags: alcoholethanolprimates

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • More
  • About Us

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t you want to get smarter every day?

YES, sign me up!

Over 35,000 subscribers can’t be wrong. Don’t worry, we never spam. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy.

✕
ZME Science News

FREE
VIEW