Experiment
A large set of ethological measures of anxiety-related behaviors were analyzed to explore the relationship between the behavioral phenotype and genotype of anxiety. Phenotypic and genotypic data from a total of 1636 mice from two intercosses of (H1 x L1)F2 and (H2 x L2) F2 DeFries strains decribed in a separate paper (J:70479) were obtained. Five behavorial tests were conducted in the open field arena, the elevated plus maze, the square maze, the light dark box and the mirror chamber. The test results from the two crosses were highly consistent and to maximize power and mapping resoultion the data was combined from both groups in the current study. Likely QTL positions were determined using MAPMAKER-QTL and QTL-CARTOGRAPHER.
The results of this study mapped 3 major QTL influencing anxiety-related behaviors on Chromosomes 1, 4 an 15. Other anxiety-related behavioral QTLs with multiple effects mapped to Chromosomes 7, 12, 14, 18 and X.
The major QTL mapping to Chromosme 4, Axtlm, anxiety-locomotor activity, had an influence on all tests, but not on time spent in any compartment of the test apparatus, which is consistent with a role restricted to locomotor activity.
The combined LOD scores from both crosses, for each significant test measurement contributing to Axtlm follow:
anxiety-locomotor activity, open field, total activity, LOD=3.5;
anxiety-locomotor activity, open field, center activity, LOD=6.0;
anxiety-locomotor activity, elevated plus maze, closed arm entries, LOD=5.5;
anxiety-locomotor activity, elevated plus maze, closed arm activity, LOD=6.5;
anxiety-locomotor activity, elevated plus maze, open arm entries, LOD=3.6;
anxiety-locomotor activity, elevated plus maze, open arm activity, LOD=3.5;
anxiety-locomotor activity, square maze, closed arm activity, LOD=3.2;
anxiety-locomotor activity, square maze, open arms activity, LOD=4.9;
anxiety-locomotor activity, square maze, open arm entries, LOD=3.6;
anxiety-locomotor activity, light dark box, dark box activity, LOD=6.2;
anxiety-locomotor activity, light dark box, transitions, LOD=3.9.
At each locus the direction of effect of the allele was examined from the less active strains, L1 and L2. All traits measured at Axtlm were decreased by the influence of the L1 or L2 allele. [Table 2].