Behavior Genetics
After the rediscovery of the Mendel's law, most genetic researches
had been focused on analyses of genetic mutants and their causative genes. These
studies successfully clarified the causative genes for the mutant phenotype
in a variety of animals including human. Although the studies provided a large
amounts of information on the molecular function of the genes, we have very
few idea how the individual difference and diversity of
a variety of phenotypes are induced. In the 21st century, many researchers
are putting their efforts on studues of complex genetic phenomenon, which is
not easily explained by the Mendel's law. In the most cases, behviors of animals
are known as complex traits regulated by multigenic facotrs. Although
these behavioral phenotypes do not simply reflecting the rule of heredity, detailed
studies will allow us to understand the genetic mechanism for the behavioral
diversity. Our group is working on this subject by taking advantage
of genetic diversity in a series of wild derived inbred mouse strains.
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Role of ultrasonic vocalization (USVs) in male-female interaction characterized by analysing USV patterns in wild-derived strainsSugimoto H., Okabe S., Kato M., Koshida N., Shiroishi T., Mogi K., Kikusui T., Koide T. A role for strain differences in waveforms of ultrasonic vocalizations during male–female interaction. PLoS ONE 6: e22093, 2011. MSM/Ms (MSM), a Japanese wild mouse derived strain, exhibit higher social interaction but also show increased inter-male aggression comparing to C57BL/6J (B6). In order to understand genetic basis of difference in social behavior between MSM and B6, we analyzed a panel of MSM-B6 consomic strains using social interaction test. |
Bitter taste (Sucrose Octaacetate) aversion in mice caused by multigenic factors. Ishii A., Koide T., Takahashi A., Shiroishi T., Hettinger T.P., Frank M.E., Savoy L.D., Formaker B.K., Yertutanol S., ALionikas A. and Blizard D.A. B6-MSM consomic mouse strains reveal multiple loci for genetic variation in sucrose octaacetate aversion. Behavior Genetics (in press). In this paper, we showed that Soa locus on distal Chr 6 that code for bitter taste receptors Tas2r strongly associate with SOA aversion. Our results also showed that Tas2r genes on Chr 2 and 15, as well as to genes not coding for bitter receptors (Chr 4), contribute to SOA aversion. |
Genetic analysis of social behavior (Paper in Behavior Genetics: Takahashi et al.) Online open MSM/Ms (MSM), a Japanese wild mouse derived strain, exhibit higher social interaction but also show increased inter-male aggression comparing to C57BL/6J (B6). In order to understand genetic basis of difference in social behavior between MSM and B6, we analyzed a panel of MSM-B6 consomic strains using social interaction test. PDF |
The 32nd Annual Meeting of the Molecular Biology Society of JapanTK and Dr. Abraham Palmer organized a symposium entitled "Molecular and genetic approaches toward understanding behavior" in this meeting. Drs. Ralph Greenspan, Hitoshi Okamoto, Tsuyoshi Miyakawa, Abraham A Palmer, Teiichi Furuichi and Toru Takumi presented excellent talks in this symposium. |
Genetic analysis of home-cage activity using QTL and SEM analysis (Paper in BMC Genetics: Umemori et al.) Open AccessWild-derived strain, KJR and C57BL/6 showed significant difference in spontaneous home-cage activity. In order to understand QTL and relationship among QTLs, we conducted QTL analysis as well as structual equation model (SEM) analyses by collaborating with Dr. Kuriki's group in the Institute of Statistical Mathematics. |
A book for beginners of mouse research (Japanese book)TK edited a Japanese book entitled "A basic Primer of Mouse Research" |
Behavior of mice in home-cage (Live Image)Here, we are showing live image of mice in the home-cage. Because mice are nocturnal habit, they actively move during night. During the light phase, mice are mostly sleeping but occasionally move. Because we are using near-infrared camera, you will be able to see behavior of mice in dark clearly as well as in light phase. The dark phase is controlled from 20:00 to 8:00 in Japanese time. This is a great opportunity to see actual behavior of mice in the dark. We will change mice occasionally to observe different type of mouse strains. Wild-derived mice are amazing! Please note that this is a part of our research activity. But, also enjoy watching behavior!! |
The 5th Behavior Genetics MeetingWe had the 5th Behavior Genetics Meeting in Mishima in 12 March 2009. This was a meeting for behavior genetics on human, mouse, companion animals and other model organisms for human. 66 scientists were attended and 18 great talks were presented in this meeting. Most of the talks were presented in Japanese. |
Paper in Genes, Brain and Behavior: Takahashi et al. (Online open)Systematic analysis of emotionality in consomic mouse strains established from C57BL/6J and wild-derived MSM/Ms: We performed genetic mapping of emotionality by using intrasubspecific consomic strains, and found genes related to emotionality scattered almost all chromosomes. Our data indicates that each chromosome has extensively large effect on emotionality-related behaviors, and also sex-dependent effects were detected in some chromosomes. Principal component analysis extracted 5 factors underlying emotionality-related behaviors, and chromosomes associated with those psychological factors were identified. Consomic strain is of assistance in understanding genetic architecture of emotionality. Because MSM have large genetic differences from B6 and retain behavioral character from wild mouse, this intrasubspecific consomic strain is of assistance in broader understanding of genetic architecture of emotionality.PDF |
Paper in Mammalian Genome: Takahashi et al. Multigenic factors associated with a hydrocephalus-like phenotype found in inter-subspecific consomic mouse strains: Hydrocephalus is known as multifactrial neurological disorder, and considered that genetic factors are largely involved in the etiology of congenital hydrocephalus. By using a panel of consomic strains derived from MSM and B6, we found that MSM chromosomes 4, 5, 7, 11, 15, and 17 showed significantly higher incidence of hydrocephalus, whereas both parental strain rarely showed. Further analysis of consomic strain of Chr 17 revealed that apparently-normal individuals of this strain also exhibited increased brain ventricle size compared to B6. Thus, we considered that hydrocephalus is the extreme phenotype of individual ventricle size variation. We then successfully mapped at least one genetic locus responsible for increased hydrocephalus in around proximal region of Chr 17. |
