Genetic and Dietary Control of Alcohol Degradation in Drosophila

Because of the consumption of ethanol-containing beverages by humans, information about the metabolism of ethanol is important. To be an alcoholic, a person need only consume enough ethanol to interfere with one of his or her important activities within our society. The decrease in efficiency of workers, the loss of life in alcohol-related accidents, and the personal grief are the result of the physiological and biochemical effects of ethanol. Chronic alcoholism is a health hazard to many individuals and, as such, poses a variety of social and economic problems.