Evidence of cancer-linked rodent zoonoses from biophysical genomic variations.

As a mechanism to explore the role of environmental adaptation in establishing the optimal distribution of single nucleotide polymophisms (SNPs) within resident homeostatic populations, relationships between quantified environmental parameters and the frequencies of the variants are being explored. We have performed sequential double-blind scans on more than 30% of chromosome 3 in an attempt to discover possible relationships using simple mathematical functions that are indicative of "adaptive forces" on the variants due to specific quantified environmental agents. We have found an association of rs13071758 with rodent zoonotic diseases. This variant is within the FHIT gene, which spans the most fragile of the common fragile sites in human lymphoblasts. FHIT, which is highly sensitive to environmental carcinogens, is partially lost in most human cancers. This finding is consistent with other studies postulating an association between rodent zoonoses and cancer. We quantify the adaptive force on the T allele as 0.28 GEUs per unit of zoonotic rodent host richness.