Question

using four good examples from different fields, discuss why a basic understanding of evolutionary biology has practical value for people who are not research biologists

Answer 1

Jaundice disease can be taken as an example of using the details of a proximate mechanism to test an evolutionary hypothesis

In liver failure cases, Skin and eyes turn into yellow color due to the excess accumulation.The textbooks often relate bilirubin as a potentially toxic metabolite of hemoglobin. Only after it conjugates with glucuronic acid in the liver, it becomes water soluble and excreted in bile. The intermediate step between heme and bilirubin is biliverdin, a chemical that is more soluble than bilirubin. Here the evolutionary question is, why does the body undergo a difficult process to excrete the toxin?

From an evolutionary biology perspective, if the enzyme converting biliverdin to bilirubin is   working properly, then the damaging oxygen radicals react with bilirubin, turning it into biliverdin, thus reducing the concentration of dangerous peroxide radicals. In the absence of bilirubin, cells will die quickly. Bilirubin serves as an effective antioxidant that can protect against the oxidative damage that contributes to aging.