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Searching for candidate genes with effects on an agonistic behavior, offense, in mice

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Abstract

It is well established that the agonistic behavior of offense in mice is heritable. However, few genes have been identified or mapped for offense. For segments of chromosomes with effects on offense, a positional candidate strategy can be used to find such genes. This approach is illustrated for the effect of the male specific part (nonpseudoautosomal region; NPAR) of the mouse Y chromosome on offense. It is proposed that a positional candidate for this effect isSry. The Sry protein is a transcription factor. Its mRNA is expressed in fetal and adult brain. Its protein binds to response elements in the 5′ end of the aromatase and theFral genes. Each of these genes has potential effects on several brain neurotransmitter systems involved in offense. The NPAR Y chromosomes of several pairs of inbred strains have differential effects on offense. This hypothesis would be tested by sequencingSry for some of these pairs of strains.

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  1. Biobehavioral Sciences Graduate Degree Program and Department of Psychology, The University of Connecticut, 06269-4154, Storrs, Connecticut

    Stephen C. Maxson

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Maxson, S.C. Searching for candidate genes with effects on an agonistic behavior, offense, in mice. Behav Genet 26, 471–476 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02359751

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