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About 70% of Han Chinese people possess the Dukang gene which can process alcohol and break down toxins, according to a report from the center of Anthropological Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai.
The results were published in the latest issue of the UK's Human Genetics Annual Report. Li Hui, head of the key laboratory of major education department at Fudan, said the gene is a mutation which can break down toxins produced by food which has been stored too long and become rotten and moldy.
Among the world's different ethnic groups there exist a large number of highly differing mutant enzyme genes which fall into seven categories. The strongest gene with the detoxification function is the seventh type, which is possessed by 70% of Han Chinese.
Looking from both historical and geographical perspectives, Li concluded that the Dukang gene was an important factor in Han expansion in China's Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties (around 2000-250 BCE), when Chinese people made rapid development in agriculture, producing vast quantities of food leading to techniques of storing and winemaking. During that time the consumption of alcohol had become a widespread activity and Du Kang, for whom the gene has been named, is renowned as the father of winemaking and was well-known in the Xia dynasty for his drinking prowess.
Li pointed out that in the early stage of winemaking, the process was not refined and was bound to produce many toxins. Moreover, people lacked understanding about not eating food that had been stored too long. Some died of poisoning as a result, leaving those whose bodies were better able to break down toxins to survive and pass on their genes.
參考閱讀：
1. 基因介紹
複旦大學現代人類學教育部重點實驗室李輝課題組新近完成的一項研究表明：乙醇脫氫酶-1B（ADH1B）的第7型變種存在於約70%的漢族人體內，這種酶有助於加快乙醇分解速度約13倍，同時能夠分解與乙醇結構類似的存在於酒精中的毒素。這意味著，相比於歐美人群，中國漢族人群具有更多化解酒精毒素的能力。2011年7月，這一研究成果發表於英國最新一期出版的人類遺傳學權威雜誌《人類遺傳學年報》上。
2. 基因溯源 - 基因突變源於解毒需要
複旦大學課題組對比了包括新石器時代、漢代、唐朝等時期的古人類DNA，發現第七種類型的乙醇脫氫酶基因在2800年前才開始出現，那時候，正是中國農業突飛猛進時期，充足的糧食生產使得家家戶戶都有了餘糧，糧食儲存成為難題。
ketifuzerenlihuirenwei，dangshibukenengyouliangshichucundejiancejishu。liangshichucunbudangfajiaohou，huichanshengdusu，erdangshiderenqunyinweibuzhiqing，haizaibuduanshiyong。yushi，juyouzheyijiyinyaxingH7的人就能夠降解這一毒素存活下來，缺少這一基因的人則會食物中毒———也許是慢性，也許是急性———因此，產生了一輪又一輪自然淘汰。長此以往，這一基因H7變體在體內得以強化。“這也意味著這一基因亞型在自然選擇中是正選擇的，能夠遺傳下來並且不斷加強。”
更(geng)重(zhong)要(yao)的(de)是(shi)，後(hou)來(lai)人(ren)們(men)學(xue)會(hui)釀(niang)酒(jiu)。在(zai)開(kai)始(shi)有(you)意(yi)識(shi)地(di)利(li)用(yong)真(zhen)菌(jun)生(sheng)長(chang)過(guo)程(cheng)釀(niang)酒(jiu)時(shi)，會(hui)產(chan)生(sheng)更(geng)高(gao)濃(nong)度(du)的(de)毒(du)素(su)，但(dan)是(shi)酒(jiu)對(dui)於(yu)大(da)多(duo)數(shu)人(ren)來(lai)說(shuo)顯(xian)然(ran)是(shi)一(yi)個(ge)誘(you)惑(huo)，因(yin)此(ci)又(you)強(qiang)化(hua)了(le)這(zhe)一(yi)選(xuan)擇(ze)過(guo)程(cheng)。
李輝介紹說，在考古學上雖然發現新石器時代已經發明了釀酒，但是酒的大規模流行是從夏商周開始的。“我wo們men傳chuan說shuo中zhong的de杜du康kang就jiu是shi夏xia朝chao末mo年nian的de知zhi名ming酒jiu仙xian，從cong研yan究jiu中zhong也ye可ke以yi看kan到dao，飲yin酒jiu大da概gai就jiu是shi這zhe個ge時shi期qi開kai始shi流liu行xing起qi來lai，中zhong國guo人ren的de酒jiu精jing基ji因yin產chan生sheng了le大da範fan圍wei的de優you勝sheng劣lie汰tai也ye是shi從cong這zhe一yi時shi期qi開kai始shi的de。所suo以yi我wo們men把ba這zhe種zhong基ji因yin戲xi稱cheng為wei‘杜康基因’。這個乙醇脫氫酶基因的第七種變體就是我們中國人的關鍵變體。”
3. 基因影響 - 缺某種基因喝酒沒快感
課題組還發現，人類如果缺失了另一種重要基因———與(yu)乙(yi)醇(chun)脫(tuo)氫(qing)酶(mei)基(ji)因(yin)關(guan)係(xi)密(mi)切(qie)的(de)乙(yi)醛(quan)脫(tuo)氫(qing)酶(mei)基(ji)因(yin)，那(na)麼(me)喝(he)酒(jiu)是(shi)一(yi)定(ding)沒(mei)有(you)快(kuai)感(gan)的(de)。而(er)在(zai)東(dong)亞(ya)人(ren)群(qun)中(zhong)，在(zai)中(zhong)國(guo)人(ren)中(zhong)，這(zhe)一(yi)基(ji)因(yin)功(gong)能(neng)缺(que)失(shi)的(de)人(ren)占(zhan)了(le)人(ren)口(kou)總(zong)數(shu)的(de)50%以上。
攜帶H7leixingyichuntuoqingmeijiyinderenqunnenggoujiangjiedaduoyuyichunxiangguandedusu。erqieketizufaxian，zaiouzhouhemeizhouderenqunzhong，xiedaizheyileixingyichuntuoqingmeijiyinderenkoubilifeichangdi，zheyeshiweishenmebaizhongrenjiujingzhongdubiliyuanyuangaoyudongyarendeyuanyin。yinweijibianshigenjulishizhuisuyenenggoufaxian，zhidaozhongshiji，ouzhourenqundeshiwulaiyuanyushouliehaihenzhongyao，liangshibingmeiyoujinrufengchanfuyudejieduan。lihuicheng：“也許是他們還沒來得及進化出這一類型的乙醇脫氫酶基因。”
自zi然ran進jin化hua充chong滿man了le種zhong種zhong奧ao妙miao，課ke題ti組zu發fa現xian雖sui然ran東dong亞ya人ren進jin化hua出chu了le可ke以yi解jie毒du的de乙yi醇chun脫tuo氫qing酶mei基ji因yin，使shi人ren體ti能neng夠gou把ba乙yi醇chun迅xun速su降jiang解jie為wei乙yi醛quan，但dan是shi東dong亞ya人ren卻que又you進jin化hua出chu乙yi醛quan脫tuo氫qing酶mei基ji因yin功gong能neng缺que失shi的de類lei型xing。有you高gao達da50%的人缺少乙醛脫氫酶基因功能，而這是能夠對酒精進行徹底的“無害化處理”的重要基因。尤其是在中國的潮汕地區，這一基因的功能缺失顯得尤其明顯，“這也是為什麼潮汕地區食道癌高發的重要原因之一，因為缺少這一基因功能，使得酒精經過了第一道工序後，卻沒有第二道‘無害化處理’。”而缺少這一基因功能的人的最顯著標誌，就是一喝酒就臉紅。
李輝稱：“ketizuhaifaxian，zhelianggejiyintongshitubianderen，yejiushiyichuntuoqingmeijiyingongnengzengqiangeryiquantuoqingmeijiyingongnengjianruo，youqishiqueshiyiquantuoqingmeijiyingongnengderen，hejiudeshihouyidingmeiyoukuaigan。yinweibunengbajiujingjinxingzuizhongde‘無害化’處理，人體會有中毒的感覺。”這一類基因的陸續發現，未來也許會解釋為什麼每個地區都有自己的特色食物，“這些特色食物不是口味造成的，而是人體的基因所造成的，是人體對自身安全保護的需求。”
