| functional analysis of maternal aggression in the house mouse (mus musculus domesticus). | the presumed function of maternal aggression as a means to protect the young from infanticidal conspecifics was tested. lactating females attacked male intruders regardless of their potential for infanticide and intrasexual aggression (as previously screened). the level of aggression of the male intruder rather than his infanticidal potential, influenced both the mother's latency to attack and the possibility of successful protection of her young. a lactating female's attack on a male, but not o ... | 1994 | 24925109 |
| extreme karyotypic variation in a mus musculus domesticus hybrid zone: the tobacco mouse story revisited. | the robertsonian fusion is a common chromosomal mutation among mammal species and is especially prevalent in the west european house mouse, mus musculus domesticus. more than 40 races of the house mouse exist in europe, including the famous "tobacco mouse" (poschiavo race) of val poschiavo, switzerland. documented here is the discovery of an extreme case of karyotypic variation in the neighboring upper valtellina, italy. in a 20-km stretch of the valley, 32 karyotypes were observed, including fi ... | 1993 | 28564891 |
| maternal investment of communally nursing female house mice (mus musculus domesticus). | female house mice (mus musculus domesticus) belonging to the same polygynous breeding unit rear their litters communally. this paper analyzes the consequences of communal nursing on the number and weight of offspring produced. the reproductive behaviour of monogamous females was compared to that of females living in polygynous groups, consisting of either two familiar sisters or of two genetically unrelated females (unfamiliar until the age of 7 weeks). the lifetime reproductive success of a fem ... | 1993 | 24896472 |
| segregation and fertility in mus musculus domesticus (wild mice) heterozygous for the rb(4.12) translocation. | analysis of the progeny of wild mice heterozygous for the rb(4.12) shows that fertility and segregation are normal. this study, and others with similar results, suggests that our view of the chromosomal evolution of the house mouse should be revised. | 1992 | 29231205 |
| intermittent stimulation and delay of puberty by urinary chemosignals and social contact in wild stock female house mice (mus domesticus). | a sequence of six experiments using wild stock house mouse (mus domesticus) tested the effects of intermittent stimulation with either the urinary chemosignal released by grouped female mice or social contact from grouped females on the age of first vaginal oestrus in young females. weanling female mice were exposed to bedding soiled by grouped females or cages containing grouped females for 15 min periods, then removed for a prescribed period, and placed again in a cage with soiled bedding or g ... | 1989 | 24925782 |
| food neophobia in wild and laboratory mice (mus musculus domesticus). | in a conditioned taste aversion procedure we were specifically interested in the topic of food neophobia. wild and laboratory mice were individually presented with a novel drink (0.1 % saccharin solution). compared with the daily water consumption, the intake of this was lower. this decrease was greater: (1) in wild than in tame populations ; (2) in random-bred (swiss-albinos) than in inbred (c57 b1/6, balb/c) strains ; (3) in f1-hybrids (either wild x tame or inbred x inbred) than in the parent ... | 1985 | 24924361 |
| synaptic configuration of quadrivalents and their association with the xy bivalent in spermatocytes of robertsonian heterozygotes of mus domesticus. | the nuclear architecture of meiotic prophase spermatocytes is based on higher-order patterns of spatial associations among chromosomal domains and consequently is prone to modification by chromosomal rearrangements. we have shown that nuclear architecture is modified in spermatocytes of robertsonian (rb) homozygotes of mus domesticus. in this study we analyse the synaptic configuration of the quadrivalents formed in the meiotic prophase of spermatocytes of mice double heterozygotes for the depen ... | 2017 | 29169375 |
| a continuous correlated beta process model for genetic ancestry in admixed populations. | admixture and recombination create populations and genomes with genetic ancestry from multiple source populations. analyses of genetic ancestry in admixed populations are relevant for trait and disease mapping, studies of speciation, and conservation efforts. consequently, many methods have been developed to infer genome-average ancestry and to deconvolute ancestry into continuous local ancestry blocks or tracts within individuals. current methods for local ancestry inference perform well when a ... | 2016 | 26966908 |
| evolutionary change in testes tissue composition among experimental populations of house mice. | theory assumes that postcopulatory sexual selection favors increased investment in testes size because greater numbers of sperm within the ejaculate increase the chance of success in sperm competition, and larger testes are able to produce more sperm. however, changes in the organization of the testes tissue may also affect sperm production rates. indeed, recent comparative analyses suggest that sperm competition selects for greater proportions of sperm-producing tissue within the testes. here, ... | 2015 | 25600637 |
| female social preference for males that have evolved via monogamy: evidence of a trade-off between pre- and post-copulatory sexually selected traits? | when females mate with multiple males both pre- and post-copulatory sexual selections occur. it has been suggested that females benefit from polyandry when better-quality males are successful in sperm competition and sire high-quality offspring. indeed, studies of experimental evolution have confirmed that sperm competition selects for both increased ejaculate quality and elevated offspring viability. fewer investigations have explored whether these fitness benefits are evident beyond early life ... | 2014 | 25296931 |
| no evidence of conpopulation sperm precedence between allopatric populations of house mice. | investigations into the evolution of reproductive barriers have traditionally focused on closely related species, and the prevalence of conspecific sperm precedence. the effectiveness of conspecific sperm precedence at limiting gene exchange between species suggests that gametic isolation is an important component of reproductive isolation. however, there is a paucity of tests for evidence of sperm precedence during the earlier stages of divergence, for example among isolated populations. here, ... | 2014 | 25295521 |
| bivalent associations in mus domesticus 2n = 40 spermatocytes. are they random? | the establishment of associations between bivalents from mus domesticus 2n = 40 spermatocytes is a common phenomenon that shows up during the first prophase of meiotic nuclei. in each nucleus, a seemingly random display of variable size clusters of bivalents in association is observed. these associations originate a particular nuclear architecture and determine the probability of encounters between chromosome domains. hence, the type of randomness in associations between bivalents has nontrivial ... | 2014 | 25033783 |
| robertsonian chromosomes and the nuclear architecture of mouse meiotic prophase spermatocytes. | the nuclear architecture of meiotic prophase spermatocytes is based on higher-order patterns of spatial associations among chromosomal domains from different bivalents. the meiotic nuclear architecture depends on the chromosome characteristics and consequently is prone to modification by chromosomal rearrangements. in this work, we consider mus domesticus spermatocytes with diploid chromosome number 2n = 40, all telocentric, and investigate a possible modification of the ancestral nuclear archit ... | 2014 | 25027603 |
| regulation of sex determination in mice by a non-coding genomic region. | to identify novel genomic regions that regulate sex determination, we utilized the powerful c57bl/6j-y(pos) (b6-y(pos)) model of xy sex reversal where mice with autosomes from the b6 strain and a y chromosome from a wild-derived strain, mus domesticus poschiavinus (y(pos)), show complete sex reversal. in b6-y(pos), the presence of a 55-mb congenic region on chromosome 11 protects from sex reversal in a dose-dependent manner. using mouse genetic backcross designs and high-density snp arrays, we n ... | 2014 | 24793290 |
| experimental evidence for the evolution of the mammalian baculum by sexual selection. | male genitalia exhibit a taxonomically widespread pattern of rapid and divergent evolution. sexual selection is generally believed to be responsible for these patterns of evolutionary divergence, although empirical support for the sexual selection hypothesis comes mainly from studies of insects. here we show that sexual selection is responsible for an evolutionary divergence in baculum morphology among populations of house mice mus domesticus. we sourced mice from three isolated populations know ... | 2014 | 24372607 |
| sperm competition risk generates phenotypic plasticity in ovum fertilizability. | theory predicts that sperm competition will generate sexual conflict that favours increased ovum defences against polyspermy. a recent study on house mice has shown that ovum resistance to fertilization coevolves in response to increased sperm fertilizing capacity. however, the capacity for the female gamete to adjust its fertilizability as a strategic response to sperm competition risk has never, to our knowledge, been studied. we sourced house mice (mus domesticus) from natural populations tha ... | 2013 | 24132308 |
| a selfish genetic element influencing longevity correlates with reactive behavioural traits in female house mice (mus domesticus). | according to theory in life-history and animal personality, individuals with high fitness expectations should be risk-averse, while individuals with low fitness expectations should be more bold. in female house mice, a selfish genetic element, the t haplotype, is associated with increased longevity under natural conditions, representing an appropriate case study to investigate this recent theory empirically. following theory, females heterozygous for the t haplotype (+/t) are hypothesised to exp ... | 2013 | 23826211 |
| within-lifetime trade-offs but evolutionary freedom for hormonal and immunological traits: evidence from mice bred for high voluntary exercise. | chronic increases in circulating corticosterone (cort) generally suppress immune function, but it is not known whether evolved increases necessarily have similar adverse effects. moreover, the evolution of immune function might be constrained by the sharing of signaling molecules, such as cort, across numerous physiological systems. laboratory house mice (mus domesticus linnaeus) from four replicate lines selectively bred for high voluntary wheel running (hr lines) generally had baseline circula ... | 2012 | 22539732 |
| bayesian estimation of genomic clines. | we developed a bayesian genomic cline model to study the genetic architecture of adaptive divergence and reproductive isolation between hybridizing lineages. this model quantifies locus-specific patterns of introgression with two cline parameters that describe the probability of locus-specific ancestry as a function of genome-wide admixture. 'outlier' loci with extreme patterns of introgression relative to most of the genome can be identified. these loci are potentially associated with adaptive ... | 2011 | 21453352 |
| model of chromosome associations in mus domesticus spermatocytes. | understanding the spatial organization of the chromosomes in meiotic nuclei is crucial to our knowledge of the genome's functional regulation, stability and evolution. this study examined the nuclear architecture of mus domesticus 2n=40 pachytene spermatocytes, analyzing the associations among autosomal bivalents via their centromere telomere complexes (ctc). the study developed a nuclear model in which each ctc was represented as a 3d computer object. the probability of a given combination of a ... | 2010 | 21249298 |
| differential patterns of introgression across the x chromosome in a hybrid zone between two species of house mice. | a complete understanding of the speciation process requires the identification of genomic regions and genes that confer reproductive barriers between species. empirical and theoretical research has revealed two important patterns in the evolution of reproductive isolation in animals: isolation typically arises as a result of disrupted epistatic interactions between multiple loci and these disruptions map disproportionately to the x chromosome. these patterns suggest that a targeted examination o ... | 2004 | 15521462 |
| different effects of intensity and duration of locomotor activity on circadian period. | an outstanding unresolved issue in chronobiology is how the level of locomotor activity influences length of the free-running, endogenous circadian period (tau). to address this issue, the authors studied a novel model, 4 replicate lines of laboratory house mice (mus domesticus) that had been selectively bred for high wheel-running activity (s) and their 4 unselected control (c) lines. previous work indicates that s mice run approximately twice as many revolutions/day and exhibit an altered dopa ... | 2003 | 14667150 |
| food wasting by house mice: variation among individuals, families, and genetic lines. | under ad libitum conditions, laboratory house mice (mus domesticus) fragment considerable amounts of pelleted food and leave it scattered in their cages. the proportion of food thus wasted (in relation to food eaten) varies remarkably among individuals, from 2% to 40%, but is highly consistent in consecutive trials, even when the mice were moved from 22 to -10 degrees c and food consumption doubled. food wasting did not differ either between the sexes or between genetic lines that had been selec ... | 2003 | 14637238 |
| the mode of evolution of molecular markers in populations of house mice under artificial selection for locomotor behavior. | a complete understanding of the mode of evolution of molecular markers is important for making inferences about different population genetic parameters, especially because a number of studies have reported patterns of allelic variation at molecular markers that are not in agreement with neutral evolutionary expectations. in the present study, house mice (mus domesticus) from the fourteenth generation of a selection experiment for increased voluntary wheel-running activity were used to test how s ... | 2010 | 12816964 |
| dominance, plasma testosterone levels, and testis size in house mice artificially selected for high activity levels. | male house mice (mus domesticus) from four replicate lines selectively bred for high voluntary wheel-running behavior were compared with four random-bred control lines with respect to dominance, testis size, and plasma testosterone level. behavior was measured with a tube apparatus in which focal mice encountered a standard opponent from an inbred strain, and positions of mice were scored over a 10-min period; the test was replicated the following day. blood samples were taken from undisturbed m ... | 2002 | 12213499 |
| evolution of a small-muscle polymorphism in lines of house mice selected for high activity levels. | to study the correlated evolution of locomotor behavior and exercise physiology, we conducted an artificial selection experiment. from the outbred hsd:icr strain of mus domesticus, we began eight separate lines, each consisting of 10 breeding pairs. in four of the lines, we used within-family selection to increase voluntary wheel running. the remaining four lines were random-bred (within lines) to serve as controls. various traits have been monitored to test for correlated responses. here, we re ... | 2002 | 12144025 |
| maternal-care behavior and life-history traits in house mice (mus domesticus) artificially selected for high voluntary wheel-running activity. | to test the hypothesis that selective breeding for high voluntary wheel running negatively affects maternal performance in house mice, we observed maternal behavior and compared litter size and mass, in replicate lines of selected (n=4) and control (n=4) mice from generations 20 and 21 of an artificial selection experiment. at generation 21, selected-line females ran 2.8-times more revolutions per day than females from random-bred control lines, when tested at approximately 6 weeks of age as par ... | 2002 | 11864774 |
| selection for high voluntary wheel-running increases speed and intermittency in house mice (mus domesticus). | in nature, many animals use intermittent rather than continuous locomotion. in laboratory studies, intermittent exercise regimens have been shown to increase endurance compared with continuous exercise. we hypothesized that increased intermittency has evolved in lines of house mice (mus domesticus) that have been selectively bred for high voluntary wheel-running (wheel diameter 1.12 m) activity. after 23 generations, female mice from four replicate selection lines ran 2.7 times more revolutions ... | 2001 | 11815655 |
| food consumption and body composition in mice selected for high wheel-running activity. | the effects of genetic selection for high wheel running (13th generation) and prolonged access (8 weeks) to running wheels on food consumption and body composition were studied in house mice (mus domesticus). mice from four replicate lines selected for high wheel-running activity ran over twice as many revolutions per day on activity wheels as did mice from four replicate control lines. at approximately 49 days of age, all mice were placed individually in cages with access to wheels and monitore ... | 2001 | 11765974 |
| differential sensitivity to acute administration of cocaine, gbr 12909, and fluoxetine in mice selectively bred for hyperactive wheel-running behavior. | to study the neural basis of genetic hyperactivity, we measured acute drug responses of mice (mus domesticus) from four replicate lines that had been selectively bred (23-24 generations) for increased running-wheel activity. | 2001 | 11702085 |
| open-field behavior of house mice selectively bred for high voluntary wheel-running. | open-field behavioral assays are commonly used to test both locomotor activity and emotionality in rodents. we performed open-field tests on house mice (mus domesticus) from four replicate lines genetically selected for high voluntary wheel-running for 22 generations and from four replicate random-bred control lines. individual mice were recorded by video camera for 3 min in a 1-m2 open-field arena on 2 consecutive days. mice from selected lines showed no statistical differences from control mic ... | 2001 | 11699603 |
| the quantitative genetics of maximal and basal rates of oxygen consumption in mice. | a positive genetic correlation between basal metabolic rate (bmr) and maximal (vo(2)max) rate of oxygen consumption is a key assumption of the aerobic capacity model for the evolution of endothermy. we estimated the genetic (v(a), additive, and v(d), dominance), prenatal (v(n)), and postnatal common environmental (v(c)) contributions to individual differences in metabolic rates and body mass for a genetically heterogeneous laboratory strain of house mice (mus domesticus). our breeding design did ... | 2001 | 11560903 |
| maximum cold-induced food consumption in mice selected for high locomotor activity: implications for the evolution of endotherm energy budgets. | we studied house mice (mus domesticus) that had been artificially selected for high activity to test the hypothesis that a high capacity for energy assimilation in cold-exposed endotherms could evolve as a correlated response to selection for increased locomotor activity. after 10 generations of selection for increased voluntary wheel-running, mice from four selected lines ran 75 % more wheel revolutions per day than did mice from four random-bred, control lines. the maximum cold-induced rates o ... | 2001 | 11222133 |
| prey targeting by the infrared-imaging snake python molurus: effects of experimental and congenital visual deprivation. | boid and crotaline snakes possess two distinct types of organ evolved to image radiant electromagnetic energy: the lateral eye, which responds to visible light, and the pit organ, which responds to infrared radiation. while infrared imaging may allow accurate predatory targeting in complete absence of visual information, both infrared and visual information are probably normally involved in prey targeting. we examined the roles of vision and infrared imaging in python molurus predatory performan ... | 2001 | 11164522 |
| structural complexity of territories: preference, use of space and defence in commensal house mice, mus domesticus. | previous studies suggest the physical structure of a habitat has profound effects on intraspecific competition and spacing behaviour among small mammals. we compared habitat preferences and the exploratory behaviour and aggressive territorial defence of male house mice in three types of enclosure differing only in their degree of structural complexity. each enclosure contained a nestbox placed in one corner, a central food hopper and 10 house bricks. the bricks were either placed around the oute ... | 2000 | 11124874 |
| nesting behavior of house mice (mus domesticus) selected for increased wheel-running activity. | nest building was measured in "active" (housed with access to running wheels) and "sedentary" (without wheel access) mice (mus domesticus) from four replicate lines selected for 10 generations for high voluntary wheel-running behavior, and from four randombred control lines. based on previous studies of mice bidirectionally selected for thermoregulatory nest building, it was hypothesized that nest building would show a negative correlated response to selection on wheel-running. such a response c ... | 2000 | 10979598 |
| body temperatures of house mice artificially selected for high voluntary wheel-running behavior: repeatability and effect of genetic selection. | we studied rectal body temperatures of house mice (mus domesticus) that had been artificially selected for high voluntary wheel running.1. at generation 17, mice from the four replicate selected lines ran, on average, 2.5-times as many revolutions/day as did mice from the four random-bred control lines.2. during the day, repeatability of individual differences in body temperature measured 4 days apart was low; at night, repeatability was statistically significant across three time scales (1 day, ... | 2000 | 10838179 |
| male-male competition magnifies inbreeding depression in wild house mice. | the detrimental effects of inbreeding on vertebrates are well documented for early stages of the life cycle in the laboratory. however, the consequences of inbreeding on long-term survival and reproductive success (darwinian fitness) are uncertain for vertebrates in the wild. here, we report direct experimental evidence for vertebrates that competition increases the harmful effects of inbreeding on offspring survival and reproduction. we compared the fitness of inbred (from full-sib matings) and ... | 2000 | 10716731 |
| behaviour of house mice artificially selected for high levels of voluntary wheel running. | we have developed a novel model to study the correlated evolution of behavioural and morphophysiological traits in response to selection for increased locomotor activity. we used selective breeding to increase levels of voluntary wheel running in four replicate lines of laboratory house mice, mus domesticus, with four random-bred lines maintained as controls. the experiment presented here tested for correlated behavioural responses in the wheel-cage complex, with wheels either free to rotate or ... | 1999 | 10600154 |
| the competing countermarks hypothesis: reliable assessment of competitive ability by potential mates. | scent marking on top of (overmarking), or in the vicinity of, a scent mark already present is commonly termed countermarking. scent marks and countermarks provide a continuous record of competitive challenges between conspecifics, thus providing a reliable advertisement of an individual's ability to dominate or defend an area to other competitors and potential mates. to test the hypothesis that females should prefer males that countermark competing scent marks in their territory over those whose ... | 1999 | 10564605 |
| whole body cholesterol, fat, and fatty acid concentrations of mice (mus domesticus) used as a food source. | the concentrations of dry matter, cholesterol, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and 29 fatty acids were measured in four size categories of whole mice (mus domesticus) that are commonly fed to zoo animals. dry matter increased with age/size of mice, whereas cholesterol decreased with age/size. significant differences in fatty acid content were found among mice categories with capric, lauric, and myristic acids. mice categories had similar levels of palmitic, palmitoleic, heptadecenoic, steari ... | 1999 | 10484136 |
| artificial selection for increased wheel-running activity in house mice results in decreased body mass at maturity. | to test the hypothesis that body size and activity levels are negatively genetically correlated, we conducted an artificial selection experiment for increased voluntary wheel-running activity in house mice (mus domesticus). here, we compare body masses of mice from control and selected lines after 14 generations of selection. in both groups, beginning at weaning and then for 8 weeks, we housed half of the individuals with access to running wheels that were free to rotate and the other half with ... | 1999 | 10460738 |
| genetic variation and correlations between genotype and locomotor physiology in outbred laboratory house mice (mus domesticus). | laboratory strains of house mice (mus domesticus) are increasingly used as model organisms in evolutionary physiology, so information on levels of genetic variation is important. for example, are levels of genetic variation comparable to those found in populations of wild house mice? we studied allozymes to estimate genetic variation in outbred hsd:icr mice, which have been used in several studies with evolutionary emphasis. the physiological significance of allozyme variation remains obscure. s ... | 1999 | 10425735 |
| energy cost of wheel running in house mice: implications for coadaptation of locomotion and energy budgets. | laboratory house mice (mus domesticus) that had experienced 10 generations of artificial selection for high levels of voluntary wheel running ran about 70% more total revolutions per day than did mice from random-bred control lines. the difference resulted primarily from increased average velocities rather than from increased time spent running. within all eight lines (four selected, four control), females ran more than males. average daily running distances ranged from 4.4 km in control males t ... | 2010 | 10068627 |
| scent marks as reliable signals of the competitive ability of mates. | the quality of an individual's odour can allow potential mates to discriminate against individuals of low social class, poor health status or unsuitable genotype. competitive scent marking provides a further mechanism which could allow mates to discriminate between individuals of apparently high quality. the presence or absence of fresh countermarks from competitors within an owner's territory or area marked by a dominant animal provides a reliable indicator of the owner's ability to defend its ... | 1998 | 9784223 |
| proteins in urine scent marks of male house mice extend the longevity of olfactory signals. | the binding of volatile semiochemicals to lipocalin proteins in many mammalian scent marks may provide a gradual release of volatile ligands, extending the life of airborne odour signals. we tested this by using menadione to displace semiochemical ligands from major urinary proteins (mups) in urine streaks obtained from adult male house mice, mus domesticus, and assessed the responses of other males to these and to intact urine marks as they aged. dominant male mice scent-mark their territories ... | 1998 | 9632512 |
| artificial selection for increased wheel-running behavior in house mice. | replicated within-family selection for increased voluntary wheel running in outbred house mice (mus domesticus; hsd:icr strain) was applied with four high-selected and four control lines (10 families/line). mice were housed individually with access to activity wheels for a period of 6 days, and selection was based on the mean number of revolutions run on days 5 and 6. prior to selection, heritabilities of mean revolutions run per day (rev/day), average running velocity (rpm), and number of minut ... | 1998 | 9670598 |
| effects of voluntary activity and genetic selection on aerobic capacity in house mice (mus domesticus). | an animal model was developed to study effects on components of exercise physiology of both "nature" (10 generations of genetic selection for high voluntary activity on running wheels) and "nurture" (7-8 wk of access or no access to running wheels, beginning at weaning). at the end of the experiment, mice from both wheel-access groups were significantly lighter in body mass than mice from sedentary groups. within the wheel-access group, a statistically significant, negative relationship existed ... | 1998 | 9451619 |
| glucocorticoid response to forced exercise in laboratory house mice (mus domesticus). | we examined the time course and sex differences of the glucocorticoid response to forced, moderate-intensity treadmill exercise in outbred laboratory house mice. mice (n = 64 total) were divided into eight groups, each of four males and four females, which were run on a motorized treadmill at 1.0 km/h for either 0, 2, 5, 10, 15, 25, 40, or 60 min. serum samples were taken immediately after exercise and corticosterone (cort) concentration was determined by radioimmunoassay. resting cort levels ra ... | 1998 | 9423970 |
| sound pressure transformation at the pinna of mus domesticus. | sound pressure transformation properties at the pinna of laboratory mice. mus domesticus, were studied by measuring the sound pressure level of continuous tone at a series of frequencies at the tympanic membrane as a function of the position of a sound source under free-field stimulation conditions. sound pressure transformation functions showed some prominent spectral notches throughout the frequency range of 10-80 khz tested. when delivered from some angles within the ipsilateral frontal hemis ... | 1997 | 9442865 |
| a microsatellite-based mhc genotyping system for house mice (mus domesticus). | major histocompatibility complex (mhc) genes are the most polymorphic loci known for vertebrates. although this has been known for over two decades, the selective forces maintaining this genetic diversity are unclear. efforts to study selection on these loci in nature have been hampered because no simple mhc typing systems are available. here, we describe and evaluate a microsatellite-based mhc genotyping system for house mice (mus domesticus). thirty-five mhc-linked microsatellite loci were tes ... | 1997 | 9420473 |
| quantitative genetics of sprint running speed and swimming endurance in laboratory house mice (mus domesticus). | we tested the hypothesis that locomotor speed and endurance show a negative genetic correlation using a genetically variable laboratory strain of house mice (hsd:icr: mus domesticus). a negative genetic correlation would qualify as an evolutionary "constraint," because both aspects of locomotor performance are generally expected to be under positive directional selection in wild populations. we also tested whether speed or endurance showed any genetic correlation with body mass. for all traits, ... | 1996 | 28565702 |
| odor preferences of female house mice (mus domesticus) in seminatural enclosures. | preferences for male odors by female house mice (mus domesticus) were examined with respect to age, dominance status, and spatial relationships. mice were free living in 6 field enclosures. estrous or nonestrous females were placed in an aquarium with soiled bedding from live traps as the odor source. females were tested for preferences between (a) adult and juvenile male odors, (b) dominant and subordinate male odors, and (c) "near" and "far" male odors. in dominance odor tests, estrous females ... | 1996 | 8681527 |
| chemosignals and activity of wild stock house mice, with a note on the use of running wheels to assess activity in rodents. | two control tests and an experimental test were used to explore the effects of urinary chemosignals on activity in house mice (mus domesticus). control tests revealed that using running wheels for measurement periods of up to a week, we tested whether any of eight urinary odours or water (control) influenced activity in male and female mice that were prepubertal, pubertal, or adult. | 1996 | 24896417 |
| genetic damage in urban mice exposed to traffic pollution. | wild rodents (mus domesticus) were collected in three areas in rome exposed to different traffic flows to ascertain a possible correlation between genetic damage and heavy metal concentration. the concentration of lead, cadmium and zinc were determined in liver, kidney and bones and two mutagenicity tests (micronucleus test and sperm abnormality assay) were employed. the results obtained showed that the contents of lead and cadmium were higher in animals collected in areas with high traffic flow ... | 1996 | 15091385 |
| maximal sprint speeds and muscle fiber composition of wild and laboratory house mice. | we compared males from four groups of house mice (mus domesticus), all bred and raised under common conditions in the laboratory: randombred hsd:icr; a wild population from wisconsin; hybrids from lab dams; hybrids from wild dams. wild mice were much faster sprinters (maximal forced sprint speeds over 1.0 m ranged from 2.38 to 3.34 m/s) than were lab mice (range = 0.89-1.68 m/s). hybrids exhibited intermediate speeds (range = 1.54-2.70 m/s) and body masses, indicating largely additive inheritanc ... | 1995 | 8577882 |
| nest defense and survival of offspring in highly aggressive wild canadian female house mice. | nest defense behavior was examined in wild female house mice (mus domesticus) that were derived from a stock initially trapped in alberta, canada. the first objective was to determine whether behavior toward pups prior to mating was related to the intensity of postpartum aggression in a variety of social situations. therefore, prior to the experiments we screened virgin females for their behavior toward a newborn pup [60% of the females exhibited infanticide and 40% were noninfanticidal: 7% were ... | 1995 | 8559775 |
| sound pressure transformation at the pinna of mus domesticus. | sound pressure transformation properties at the pinna of laboratory mice mus domesticus were studied by measuring the sound pressure level of a continuous tone at a series of frequencies at the tympanic membrane as a function of the position of a sound source under free-field stimulation conditions. the spectral transformation, the interaural spectral difference, the isopressure contours and the interaural pressure difference contours were plotted. sound pressure transformation functions showed ... | 1995 | 7595162 |
| odors in traps: does most recent occupant influence capture rates for house mice? | responses of house mice (mus domesticus) to odors in live traps were studied in a series of eight 0.1-ha outdoor field enclosures. it was assumed that the most recent mouse capture would provide the predominant odor in a trap for at least one week. three different populations were tested, one in 1989 and two in 1992, involving over 800 different mice. similar response patterns were recorded from all three groups. two types of questions were tested: (1) were there any biases contingent upon what ... | 1995 | 24234249 |
| aging lengthens circadian period for wheel-running activity in c57bl mice. | previous reports of age effects on circadian period in rodents show a slight shortening of period with age, with the exception of house mice (mus domesticus) where a number of studies report mixed results. the present study consists of three comparisons of circadian period for wheel-running activity in young vs. older c57bl inbred mice following entrainment to 16:8 ld, 12:12 ld and 8:16 ld photoperiods. the free-running circadian period (tau(dd)) for wheel-running activity was significantly long ... | 1995 | 7753897 |
| length variation of cag repeats in sry across populations of mus domesticus. | | 1995 | 7749230 |
| the effect of sub-lethal doses of bromadiolone on the breeding performance of house mice (mus domesticus). | both laboratory and field strains of mus were exposed to wheat containing 0.0001% bromadiolone under laboratory and outdoor conditions, respectively. while both strains readily consumed the poisoned wheat, ad libitum sub-lethal doses of this anticoagulant equating to between 20% and 70% of the acute ld50 per feed had little apparent effect on the breeding performance of these mice. the implications of these findings are discussed with respect to the use of anticoagulants as pesticides. | 1995 | 7749606 |
| shared sequence variants of mus spretus line-1 elements tracing dispersal to within the last 1 million years. | line-1 repetitive sequences contain a record of an evolving population of transposons within the mammalian genome. of the 100,000 copies of line-1 sequences per genome there are many shared sequence variants representing changes occurring within the propagating line-1 elements themselves, rather than changes that occur during retrotransposition or after an element inserts in the genome. these shared sequence variants define families of line-1 elements which have spread within specific periods of ... | 1994 | 8070666 |
| polymorphism and divergence at the 5' flanking region of the sex-determining locus, sry, in mice. | we have investigated patterns of evolution in the nonrecombining portion of the y chromosome in mice by comparing levels of polymorphism within mus domesticus with levels of divergence between m. domesticus and m. spretus. a 1,277-bp fragment of noncoding sequence flanking the sex determining locus (sry) was pcr amplified, and 1,063 bases were sequenced and compared among 20 m. domesticus and 1 m. spretus. two polymorphic base substitutions and two polymorphic insertion/deletion sites were ident ... | 1994 | 8015446 |
| inhibition of sexual maturation in juvenile female and male mice by a chemosignal of female origin. | maturation of juvenile house mice (mus domesticus) exposed to synthetic 2,5-dimethylpyrazine was compared to the maturation of juvenile male and female mice exposed to urine from adult males and grouped females. exposure of juvenile male mice to the synthetic compound significantly inhibited the growth of their testes and sex-accessory glands in a fashion similar to the urine of adult males and grouped females. the uterine weight and the presence of ova in the oviducts in females was strongly af ... | 1994 | 8190771 |
| genetic mediation of infanticide and parental behavior in male and female domestic and wild stock house mice. | infanticide is a reproductive strategy found in many mammals, especially rodents. the proportion of male and female house mice (mus domesticus) that are either infanticidal or noninfanticidal is strain specific and varies widely from stock to stock. male house mice also show strain-specific variation in the behavioral mechanisms that inhibit infanticidal individuals from killing their own offspring. the adult offspring generated from reciprocally crossed cf-1 and wild stock house mice were teste ... | 1993 | 8129694 |
| familiarity with conspecific odor and isolation-induced aggressive behavior in male mice (mus domesticus). | male swiss cd-1 mice (mus domesticus, n = 60) were isolated for 24 days. in the isolation group mice were exposed to their own odor; in the familiarity group mice were familiarized with pairmates' odor by daily exchange of bedding; and in the unfamiliarity group subjects (exposed) were familiarized with pairmates' odor, whereas the pairmates (nonexposed) were familiarized with odors of other isolated mice. aggressive behavior was scored during 20-min sessions. familiarity with the pairmate's odo ... | 1993 | 8375149 |
| the evolution of coexisting highly divergent line-1 subfamilies within the rodent genus peromyscus. | two distinct members of the line-1 (l1) family in peromyscus were characterized. the two clones, denoted l1pm55 and l1pm62, were 1.5 kb and 1.8 kb in length, respectively, and align to the identical region of the l1 sequence of mus domesticus. sequence similarity was on the order of 70% between l1pm55 and l1pm62, which approximates that between either peromyscus sequence and mus l1. l1pm62 represents a more prevalent subfamily than l1pm55. l1pm62 exists in about 500 copies per haploid genome, wh ... | 1992 | 1474601 |
| alterations in mrna translation as a mechanism for the modification of enzyme synthesis during evolution. the ornithine decarboxylase model. | the expression of renal ornithine decarboxylase (odc) is very different between the two murine species mus domesticus and mus pahari. the latter species contains a reduced level of odc protein in the kidney, yet a normal concentration of odc mrna, indicating an alteration in translation, protein degradation, or both. we describe two lines of experimental evidence indicating that the efficiency of odc mrna translation is decreased in m. pahari. first, in vivo measurements showed that the rate of ... | 1992 | 1374399 |
| intracranial androgenic and estrogenic stimulation of male-typical behaviors in house mice (mus domesticus). | two experiments in house mice (mus domesticus) examined the neural sites at which steroid hormones activate the following male-typical behaviors: 70 khz ultrasonic mating vocalizations in response to stimulus females or their urine, urinary marking in response to stimulus males or stimulus females, mounting of estrous females, and intermale aggression. in the first experiment, four groups of castrated males received bilateral intracranial implants of testosterone (t) into either the septum (sept ... | 1992 | 1563726 |
| cytological and molecular characterization of centromeres in mus domesticus and mus spretus. | we have applied em in situ hybridization (emish) and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (pfge) to samples from diploid primary cell cultures and an established cell line to examine in detail the relative organization of the major and minor satellite dnas and telomere sequences in the genomes of mus domesticus and mus spretus. emish localizes the mus domesticus minor satellite to a single site at the centromere-proximal end of each chromosome. double label hybridizations with both minor satellite a ... | 1992 | 1543911 |
| water flux and energy use in wild house mice (mus domesticus) and the impact of seasonal aridity on breeding and population levels. | water turnover rate (wtr), urine concentration and field metabolic rate (fmr) were examined in house mice, mus domesticus, permanently inhabiting roadside verge areas and seasonally invading crops in semi-arid wheatlands in south australia. fmr was approximately proportional to body mass0.5 and mean values varied from 4.8 ml co2 g-1h-1 (2.9 kj g-1d-1) in autumn and winter, to 7.0 ml co2 g-1h-1 (4.2 kj g-1d-1) in maturing crops during spring. wtr was independent of body mass, indicating that larg ... | 1991 | 28312623 |
| serum corticosterone in fetal mice: sex differences, circadian changes, and effect of maternal stress. | the serum concentration of corticosterone was examined in control and stressed pregnant female mice (mus domesticus) as well as male and female fetuses due to our interest in the behavioral effects of material stress on offspring in mice. pregnant females were restrained under flood lights (2 sessions/day, 45 min/session) from day 13-17 of pregnancy. on day 17 of pregnancy a significant increase in maternal serum corticosterone was exhibited 1 h after the onset of a stress session, and serum cor ... | 1991 | 1745676 |
| individual variation in the neural timing of infanticide and parental behavior in male house mice. | in male house mice (mus domesticus and m. musculus), the act of coital ejaculation provides a fail-safe neural signal for timing the birth of their offspring. a unique aspect of this phenomenon is the extraordinary latency that can occur between the stimulus (ejaculation) and its adaptive neural response (male mice cease killing pups and behave parentally toward them). thus the inhibition of infanticide is routinely time-delayed for many days after mating. in the absence of mating, cohabitation ... | 1991 | 1745671 |
| thet complex of the mouse: chemical characterization by urinary volatile profiles. | urine samples from c3h congenic house mice (mus domesticus) differing only at thet complex were examined by capillary gas chromatography to assess variations in the volatile components that may cause olfactory discrimination between animals bearingt lethal and+(wild-type) haplotypes. urine was collected from 192 males and females varying in age from 1 to 9 months. c3h congenic mice that have the same genetic background at all loci but differed in theirt complex genotypes: +/ +, +/tw1,t/t w1, t/+ ... | 1991 | 24258731 |
| urinary chemosignals, reproduction, and population size for house mice (mus domesticus) living in field enclosures. | the effects of urinary chemosignals influencing reproduction and puberty were studied in free-living house mice maintained in six 0.1-ha outdoor enclosures. two enclosures were provided with urine and soiled bedding from male mice, two with urine and soiled bedding from group-caged female mice, and two with water and clean bedding as a control. reproduction, puberty, recruitment, and population size all were affected by the urine treatments. overall, populations reached significantly greater num ... | 1990 | 24263268 |
| short-term early exposure to pups alters infanticide in adulthood in male but not in female wild house mice (mus domesticus). | male and female wild house mice (mus domesticus) were allowed to remain in the cage of their parents until 30-35 days of age. when a second litter was delivered, the first litter was exposed to the younger pups for 2-10 days. in adulthood the male and female mice that had been exposed to pups as juveniles and an additional group that had cohabitated with their parents for the same length of time but were not exposed to pups were tested for infanticidal behavior. the frequency of infanticide by t ... | 1990 | 2364665 |
| odor preferences of wild stock female house mice (mus domesticus) tested at three ages using urine and other cues from conspecific males and females. | urinary chemosignals from conspecific males and females can influence the physiological processes of sexual development in female house mice. the experiments reported here involved testing the odor and whole animal preferences of female mice presented with stimuli from male mice and grouped female mice. mice were tested at three different ages. five types of tests were performed: an olfactometer test using whole animals as stimuli, a second olfactometer test using urine stimuli, a soiled bedding ... | 1989 | 24272289 |
| genetic influences on behavior of infant mus domesticus: a comparison of results from diallels derived from single and multiple populations. | a complete diallel cross was generated from six jax inbred strains of mus domesticus from diverse origins and a second 6 x 6 diallel generated from strains derived from a single wild population. during their second day of life, infants from both diallels were tested for latency to orient toward and root beneath mothers and, in a separate test, for latency to attach to mother's nipple. rooting latency showed a significant additive maternal strain effect but little systematic effect of pup genotyp ... | 1989 | 2803182 |
| the production of and sensitivity to cues that delay puberty and prolong subsequent oestrous cycles in female mice are influenced by prior intrauterine position. | four experiments were conducted with cf-1 house mice (mus domesticus) to examine the relationship between a female's prior intrauterine position (2m = between 2 male fetuses, 1m = next to one male fetus, 0m = not next to a male fetus) and the timing of puberty and length of subsequent oestrous cycles under a variety of housing conditions. the results of exp. 1 confirmed that the presence of males was required for females to enter puberty and exhibit regular oestrous cycles, regardless of prior i ... | 1989 | 2760875 |
| maternal influences on food preferences in weanling mice mus domesticus. | this study has been designed to evaluate the role of social (maternal) influences on the development of feeding behaviour in mice. a large enclosure, allowing direct observation, was divided into three separate areas: a central area for the nest and two side feeding areas at opposite ends. in one the young could feed with their mother, in the other one the young had to feed on their own. three different groups were studied: one had the same food in the two feeding areas: the second had a less pa ... | 1989 | 24895909 |
| patterns of deposition of urine containing chemosignals that affect puberty and reproduction by wild stock male and female house mice (mus domesticus). | house mice release chemosignals in their urine that influence the timing of puberty and reproductive condition in conspecific females. these experiments tested the possibility that mice depositing urine containing chemosignals that affect puberty and reproduction do so differentially with respect to urine cues from conspecifics. mice were tested in cages containing samples of urine or water on cotton in wire mesh capsules protruding from the cage floor. their urine deposition patterns were recor ... | 1989 | 24272088 |
| genetic analysis of an avoidance-avoidance response in mus domesticus. | latency to leave a lighted platform and enter a novel chamber in which other mice had received shock was measured in 2592 mice from eight inbred strains and all 56 f1 crosses. an analysis of the diallel matrix indicated a clear genetic architecture, although genetic effects accounted for only 10% of the total phenotypic variance. dominance favoring a slight delay in chamber entry suggested a selective advantage in spending a longer time on some elements in the behavioral chain involved in avoida ... | 1989 | 2757591 |
| a threshold model for vocalization to handling in mus domesticus. | | 1988 | 3190641 |
| different patterns of biting attack employed by lactating female mice (mus domesticus) in encounters with male and female conspecific intruders. | attacks by resident lactating female mice were examined in a variety of situations. relatively few attack bites to vulnerable body regions were seen when pairs of unfamiliar lactating females fought, establishing social status prior to communal nesting. sexually naive male and female intruders were equally prone to attack by lactating females, but patterns of bite attack generated by them were very different; males received the more damaging attacks. more signs of "fear" were seen in the lactati ... | 1988 | 3180736 |
| acceleration and delay of sexual maturation in female house mice (mus domesticus) by urinary chemosignals: mixing urine sources in unequal proportions. | urine from male mice, from estrous female mice, and from pregnant or lactating female mice accelerate first vaginal estrus in females, whereas urine from grouped female mice delays first estrus. nine experiments were used to test the effects of treatment of young female mice with urinary chemosignals that influence the onset of first estrus using unequal proportions of urine from the different sources. at ratios of 10-20 parts acceleratory chemosignal to 1 part delay chemosignal the acceleratory ... | 1988 | 3180729 |
| tracing the evolution of h-2 d region genes using sequences associated with a repetitive element. | the class i genes in the murine mhc are genetically divided into the k, d, qa, and t1a region subfamilies. these genes presumably arose by duplication from a common class i ancestor. oligonucleotide probes specific for sequences associated with a moderately repetitive b2 sine element, which is inserted into the 3' untranslated region of the h-2d and h-2l genes, were used to examine the evolutionary relationship between these classically defined d region genes (h-2d and h-2l) and the other member ... | 1988 | 3379308 |
| distributions of two recently inserted long interspersed elements of the l1 repetitive family at the alb and beta h3 loci in wild mice populations. | the presence of the l1 sequences, l1md4 next to the pseudogene beta h3 and i12 found in the twelfth intron of the albumin gene, in certain strains of laboratory mice but not of others has led to the suggestion that these sequences were recent insertions into the mus mus domesticus genome. to be sure that they are really recent insertions and not relics of an ancestral chromosome, we investigated the presence or absence of these sequences in populations of wild mice belonging to the semispecies m ... | 1987 | 2833674 |
| 70-khz vocalizations by male mice do not inhibit aggression in lactating mice. | two experiments investigated the relationship between adult male 70-khz vocalizations and aggression by lactating female mice (mus domesticus). intact, vocalizing males, surgically devocalized males, and naturally nonvocalizing males were used to assess the effects of high frequency vocalizations on maternal aggression. the emission of high frequency vocalizations promoted aggressive behavior by the females. in both experiments, lactating females attacked the vocalizing males more rapidly and sh ... | 1986 | 3729895 |
| maternal inheritance of mitochondrial dna during backcrossing of two species of mice. | as judged by restriction analysis, mitochondrial dna shows strictly maternal inheritance during 6-8 generations of backcrossing in both directions between mus domesticus and mus spretus. the average number of paternal mitochondrial genomes contributed to the next generation is estimated to be no more than one per thousand maternal mitochondrial genomes contributed. despite the estimated accumulation of over 2000 mutational differences between m. spretus and m. domesticus mtdnas since their diver ... | 2006 | 2997326 |
| distribution of feeding and drinking by groups of captive house mice. | locations of feeding and drinking by social groups of commensal house mice (mus domesticus), were monitored daily for 30 to 90 minutes for 1 to 3 months. eighteen foodcups and 18 water bottles were distributed in a 2.4 × 5.1 m population cage. social groups concentrated their feeding at a few of the foodcups which varied among replicates but drank from most of the water bottles. a mouse feeding at the same sites that are used by others implies that mice use social cues in choosing feeding sites. ... | 1985 | 24924245 |