Figure 1. Hypothesis for How the Uricase Mutation may have Aided Survival to Hominids Facing Seasonal Starvation.

According to the hypothesis, the loss of uricase would have amplified the uric acid response to fructose, and this would have led to a greater activation of the biologic switch in response to dwindling fruit supplies, leading to increased fat stores that would allow survival through the cooler seasons.