Genetic analysis of tameness using Japanese fancy strain JF1

日本花鼠品系JF 1的皮毛上有黑色和白色斑点，表现出高度顺从的表型。与此相反，日本野生小鼠衍生的MSM品系仍然表现出野性，例如高度焦虑以及对人类的高水平攻击性叮咬。据报道，斑点是由Ednrb基因突变引起的。Ednrb基因表达减少导致黑素细胞的异常生长/分化，为了研究Ednrb对行为的作用，我们将Ednrb突变与MSM遗传背景进行回交，发现小鼠表现出减少的焦虑样行为以及较低的攻击水平。结果表明，Ednrb基因具有调节小鼠温顺性的作用。

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.