The ability to perceive a bitter taste from certain chemicals, including PTC, has been linked to certain alleles. Which of the following would provide an explanation for the fact that almost all nonhuman primates have the "taster" phenotype, whereas the human population has a significant percentage of "nontaster" phenotypes?
A)The advantage to being able to taste bitter compounds would keep you from eating poisonous compounds, an advantage not needed in the human population anymore.
B)The advantage to not being able to taste bitter compounds means that humans are more likely to eat vegetables and thus live longer than nonhuman primates.
C)Nonhuman primates only eat foods that are not bitter, so the phenotype of tasting bitter compounds was not selected against.
D)Humans needed the ability to not taste bitter compounds, so the mutation happened.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Nonhuman primates need the ability to perceive bitter tastes to avoid consuming poisonous compounds, which is an advantage in their natural environment. However, humans have developed the ability to rely on cultural and societal cues to avoid consuming poisonous compounds, making the ability to taste bitterness less advantageous in the human population. Therefore, the variation in the taster phenotype between nonhuman primates and humans can be explained by differences in selective pressures.

The Ability to Perceive a Bitter Taste from Certain Chemicals