where did the “bald gene” come from? How did it develop?
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No degree in biology or any genetics related field, but I think its a common misconception to think of attributes as belonging to a specific gene. Often times attributes and conditions can be solely based on the expression of a specific gene or groups of genes, but also, ver frequently, we can have conditions or attributes that are simply the byproduct of genes whose expression is “intended” for something else.
To illustrate this point a little, I’ve heard that male pattern baldness is linked to high amounts of testosterone. While I don’t know the validity of this claim, **if it is true**, then an expression of genes that regulate hormone production can be producing more testosterone than necessary and the excess testosterone can be triggering the process in which hair follicles stop producing hair. **In this case** there’s no gene that evolved to create baldness, but instead genes that exist because of evolutionary pressure have the unintended side effect of causing baldness
If I am completely off base here, someone with better understanding please let me know and I will fix, remove, or add as necessary
evolution doesn’t really filter for age related issues or disease, it doesn’t have any way to. by the stage those come up, selection for breeding, and the breeding itself, are done.
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