Mapping Data

Experiment

• Experiment
  TEXT-QTL
• Chromosome
  11
• Reference
  J:75441 Yoshikawa T, et al., Identification of multiple genetic loci linked to the propensity for 'behavioral despair' in mice. Genome Res. 2002 Mar;12(3):357-66
• ID
  MGI:2385372

Genes

Gene	Assay Type
Desp2	visible phenotype
D11Mit271
Gabrb2	reported elsewhere
Gabra1	reported elsewhere
Gabrg2	reported elsewhere
Gabra6	reported elsewhere

Notes

• Experiment
  QTLs associated with behavioral despair were mapped in 560 (C57BL/6 x C3H/He)F2 intercross animals using 120 markers at an average density of 11 cM. Animals were subjected to forced swim tests (FST) and tail suspension tests (TST). The amount of time theanimal spent immobile during the tests was used as a measure of despair using the assumption the animal had given up all hope of escape. Parental strain C57BL/6 exhibits the longest periods of immobility indicating greater propensity for despair whereas parental strain C3H/He exhibits the shortest immobility times. Desp1 mapped to 47 cM on mouse Chromosome 8 in linkage to immobility during FST at D8Mit242 with LOD=4.2. C57BL/6-derived alleles confer increased despair in an additive fashion at Desp1. Desp2 mapped to 21 cM on mouse Chromosome 11 in linkage to immobility during both FST and TST at D11Mit271 with LOD=3.7 and LOD=3.6, respectively. C3H/He-derived alleles confer decreased despair in a dominant fashion at Desp2. Potential candidate genes for Desp2 include Gabrb2, Gabra1, Gabrg2, and Gabra6. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed decreased expression of Gabra1 in the frontal cortex of C57BL/6 animals compared to C3H/He3 animals. Two-locus interaction analysis detected additive interactions between Desp2 and loci at DXMit172 and D6Mit183. Homozygosity for C57BL/6 alleles at each locus pair appears to amplify immobility during TST.