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Epistatic Quantitative Trait Loci for Alcohol Preference in Mice

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Abstract

Alcohol consumption is a complex trait, responding to the influence of various genes and environmental influences acting in a quantitative fashion. Various studies in alcohol consumption processes have identified quantitative trait locus (QTL) regions across the mouse genome that appear to contribute to this phenotype. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of interactions between alleles at different loci, a phenomenon known as epistasis, on previously identified QTLs for alcohol consumption in mice. A multiple regression model was developed and applied to test for the significance of the interaction between two QTLs and to quantify this interaction. Our results indicate the presence of epistasis between loci on mouse chromosomes 2 and 3 accounting for 7-8% of the variation in alcohol preference, respectively.

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Author notes

  1. Lisa M. Tarantino

    Present address: Genomics Institute of the, Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, California

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Obesity Research Center, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, New York, 10025

    José R. Fernández

  2. Center for Developmental and Health Genetics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802

    José R. Fernández, Scott M. Hofer, George P. Vogler & Gerald E. McClearn

  3. Center for Developmental and Health Genetics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802

    Lisa M. Tarantino

  4. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802

    Scott M. Hofer

Authors
  1. José R. Fernández
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  2. Lisa M. Tarantino
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  3. Scott M. Hofer
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  4. George P. Vogler
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  5. Gerald E. McClearn
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Fernández, J.R., Tarantino, L.M., Hofer, S.M. et al. Epistatic Quantitative Trait Loci for Alcohol Preference in Mice. Behav Genet 30, 431–437 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010232900342

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