Genetic analysis of tameness using Japanese fancy strain JF1

日本花式小鼠品系JF1皮毛上有黑白斑点，表现出高度顺从的表型。相比之下，日本野鼠来源的MSM菌株仍然表现出更高的焦虑和对人类的高度攻击性咬人等野性。据报道，这种斑点是由EDNRB基因突变引起的。EDNRB基因表达降低导致黑素细胞异常生长/分化，为了研究EDNRB对行为的影响，我们在MSM遗传背景上回交了EDNRB突变，发现小鼠焦虑样行为减少，攻击性水平降低。结果表明，EDNRB基因具有调节小鼠温顺的作用。

Japanese fancy mouse strain JF1 shows black and white spots on their coat and exhibits highly obedient phenotype. In contrast, Japanese wild mouse derived strain MSM still exhibits wildness such as higher anxiety as well as high level of aggressive biting towards humans.It has been reported that the spotting is caused by a mutation in Ednrb gene. Reduced expression of Ednrb gene resulted in aberrant growth/differentiation of melanocyte cells.In order to examine a role of Ednrb on behaviors, we backcrossed the Ednrb mutation on MSM genetic background, and found that the mouse shows reduced anxiety-like behavior as well as lower level of aggression. The results showed that Ednrb gene has a role of regulating tameness in mice.