Multiple ‘Genetic Bottleneck Theory’ of Humans and the House Mouse via Chilling Enzyme ∆12-Desaturase

Abstract

The super Toba volcano eruption in Indonesia around 70,000-75,000 years ago might have reduced the human’s world population to around 10,000 individuals. Such a dramatic scenario is indicated by the term 'genetic bottleneck theory' because the whole human species was on a global scale of nearly extinct. Here we show for modern humans and the common house mouse (strain C57bl6) they both possess a ‘chilling’ enzyme ∆12-desaturase in order to avoid that the body core temperature drops below 35.0 °C (95.0 °F). We postulate the hypothesis that the survivors of the Toba volcano eruption had been selected on their ability to maintain a relatively constant brain- and body core temperature in the face of a notoriously inconstant environmental temperature characterized by extreme adverse cold environmental conditions due to a following ‘Toba glacial winter’. Surviving organisms originating from this event must have been in possession of the chilling enzyme ∆12- desaturase.