Abstract
Differences in intermale aggression have been repeatedly reported for DBA/1 and C57BL/10 mice. The results of reciprocal crosses combined with cross-fostering procedures suggest an involvement of the Y chromosome. In the present study, the length of the Y chromosome relative to that of chromosome 19 was ascertained in five sublines of DBA/1Bg, three sublines of C57BL/10Bg, and a C57BL/10.DBA/1-Y congenic stock of mice, which carries the DBA/1Bg Y chromosome. With respect to the length of the Y chromosome relative to that of chromosome 19, two of the DBA/1 sublines are shorter than the other three DBA/1 sublines, and all DBA/1 sublines are shorter than the three C57BL/10 sublines. This is attributable primarily to the length of the Y chromosome. The C57BL/10 sublines and the BL10.D1-Y congenic stock tested exhibit the same relative lengths of the Y chromosome, suggesting that its length has changed on the C57BL/10 genetic background. There is a parallel dependence on autosomal background of the effect of the Y chromosome on intermale aggression.
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References
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This research was supported by NIMH Grant 28021.
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Ginsburg, B.E., Vigue, L.C., Larson, W.A. et al. Y-chromosome length in sublines of two mouse strains. Behav Genet 11, 359–368 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01070817
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01070817