| First Author | Sangster MY | Year | 1992 |
| Journal | Mouse Genome | Volume | 90 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | 212 |
| Mgi Jnum | J:1276 | Mgi Id | MGI:49806 |
| Citation | Sangster MY, et al. (1992) Inheritance of coat colour in the MOLD/Rk inbred strain. Mouse Genome 90(2):212 |
| abstractText | Full text of Mouse Genome contribution: Research News: Inheritance of coat colour in the MOLD/Rk inbred strain. In this report we present some observations on the inheritance of coat colour in the MOLD/Rk strain, one of several inbred strains derived from Mus musculus molossinus trapped in Japan (Roderick, 1982). These observations were incidental to our studies of genetically-determined resistance to flavivirus infection in the MOLD/Rk strain (Sangster et al., 1991). As part of these studies, we undertook a standard backcross scheme to introduce a flavivirus resistance gene (Flvmr) present in the MOLD/Rk strain onto the C3H/HeJ background. We noted that the ventral fur of a proportion of mice in the fourth backcross generation was cream to white with a grey base, and resembled that of the MOLD/Rk strain. When mice with the pale ventral fur were mated with C3H/HeJ mice to produce the fifth backcross generation, about 50% of male and female progeny had pale ventral fur. However, this coat colour was not linked to the Flvmr gene which we have found to be closely linked to the rd locus on chromosome 5. These observations led us to examine coat colour in (C3H/RV x MOLD/Rk)F1 hybrid mice and C3H/HeJ x (C3H/RV x MOLD/Rk)F1 backcross mice which we had produced as part of our genetic studies of flavivirus resistance. The C3H/RV strain is an agouti strain like C3H/HeJ, and carries an identical set of coat colour genes (Groschel and Koprowski, 1965). All (C3H/RV x MOLD/Rk)F1 hybrid mice of both sexes had ventral fur that was cream to white with a grey base. In 44 C3H/HeJ x (C3H/RV x MOLD/Rk)F1 backcross mice, 45% were clearly distinguishable by paler ventral fur, particularly under the lower jaw. Our observations suggest that the pale ventral fur of the MOLD/Rk strain is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, but we do not know the locus responsible. We were interested to observe that a small proportion of male mice which had been retained for breeding purposes in our backcross scheme developed a striking grey appearance by about 12 months of age because of loss of hair pigmentation. This condition is likely to be the same as that described in wild mice (Kirby, 1974), and attributed to a maternally-transmitted leukaemia virus (Morse et al,, 1985). Owing to limited facilities for holding mice, we are unable to investigate the observations described in this report. However, we would be pleased to provide mice of the fifth backcross generation (C3H.MOLD-Flvmr) for further studies of coat colour inheritance and greying with age. Interested persons should contact Professor G R Shellam without delay. References Groschel, D. and Koprowski, H. (1965) Arch. Gesamte Virusforsch. 17:379-391. Kirby, G.C. (1974) J. Hered. 65:126-128. Morse, H.C, III, Yetter, R.A,, Stimpfling, J.H. et al., (1985) Cell. 41:439-448. Roderick, T.H. (1982) Mouse News Lett. 67:22-23. Sangster, M.Y., Shellam, G.R., Heliams, D. and Mackenzie, J.S. (1991) Mouse News Lett. 89:849-850. |
