Publications
Title | Abstract | Year Filter | PMID(sorted ascending) Filter |
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urinary volatile molecules vary in males of the 2 european subspecies of the house mouse and their hybrids. | mice recognize other mice by identifying chemicals that confer a molecular signature to urinary marks. such molecules may be involved in species recognition, and previous behavioral studies have related divergence of sexual preference between 2 subspecies of the house mouse (mus musculus musculus and mus musculus domesticus) to urinary odors. to characterize the differences between odors of males of the 2 subspecies and their first-generation offspring, the urinary volatile molecules were examin ... | 2010 | 20530376 |
a b2 sine insertion in the comt1 gene (comt1(b2i)) results in an overexpressing, behavior modifying allele present in classical inbred mouse strains. | catechol-o-methyltransferase (comt) is a key enzyme for dopamine catabolism and comt is a candidate gene for human psychiatric disorders. in mouse it is located on chromosome 16 in a large genomic region of extremely low variation among the classical inbred strains, with no confirmed single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) between strains c57bl/6j and dba/2j within a 600-kb window. we found a b2 sine in the 3' untranslated region (utr) of comt1 which is present in c57bl/6j (comt1(b2i)) and other ... | 2010 | 20618449 |
xenomitochondrial mice: investigation into mitochondrial compensatory mechanisms. | xenomitochondrial mice, harboring evolutionarily divergent mus terricolor mitochondrial dna (mtdna) on a mus musculus domesticus nuclear background (b6ntac(129s6)-mt(m. terricolor)/capt; line d7), were subjected to molecular and phenotypic analyses. no overt in vivo phenotype was identified in contrast to in vitro xenomitochondrial cybrid studies. microarray analyses revealed differentially expressed genes in xenomitochondrial mice, though none were directly involved in mitochondrial function. q ... | 2011 | 20638486 |
selection against robertsonian fusions involving housekeeping genes in the house mouse: integrating data from gene expression arrays and chromosome evolution. | monobrachial homology resulting from robertsonian (rb) fusions is thought to contribute to chromosomal speciation through underdominance. given the karyotypic diversity characterizing wild house mouse populations [mus musculus domesticus, (mmu)], variation that results almost exclusively from rb fusions (diploid numbers range from 22 to 40) and possibly whole arm reciprocal translocations (warts), this organism represents an excellent model for testing hypotheses of chromosomal evolution. previo ... | 2010 | 20811941 |
genetic differentiation of the house mouse around the mediterranean basin: matrilineal footprints of early and late colonization. | the molecular signatures of the recent expansion of the western house mouse, mus musculus domesticus, around the mediterranean basin are investigated through the study of mitochondrial d-loop polymorphism on a 1313 individual dataset. when reducing the complexity of the matrilineal network to a series of haplogroups (hgs), our main results indicate that: (i) several hgs are recognized which seem to have almost simultaneously diverged from each other, confirming a recent expansion for the whole s ... | 2010 | 20880891 |
the role of wild rodents in the transmission of trypanosoma evansi infection in an endemic area of the canary islands (spain). | trypanosoma evansi was diagnosed for the first time in camels in the canary islands in 1997. several sanitary measures including treatment of infected animals were taken; however, nowadays a little area is still infected. in order to determine possible reservoirs 138 wild rodents were trapped, 64 of them in the infected farms and the remaining 74 in other areas. the captured species were rattus rattus (24), rattus norvegicus (69) and mus musculus domesticus (45). serological (catt/t. evansi), pa ... | 2010 | 20888126 |
is oxidative stress a physiological cost of reproduction? an experimental test in house mice. | investment in reproduction is costly and frequently decreases survival or future reproductive success. however, the proximate underlying causes for this are largely unknown. oxidative stress has been suggested as a cost of reproduction and several studies have demonstrated changes in antioxidants with reproductive investment. here, we test whether oxidative stress is a consequence of reproduction in female house mice (mus musculus domesticus), which have extremely high energetic demands during r ... | 2010 | 20926440 |
predators are attracted to the olfactory signals of prey. | predator attraction to prey social signals can force prey to trade-off the social imperatives to communicate against the profound effect of predation on their future fitness. these tradeoffs underlie theories on the design and evolution of conspecific signalling systems and have received much attention in visual and acoustic signalling modes. yet while most territorial mammals communicate using olfactory signals and olfactory hunting is widespread in predators, evidence for the attraction of pre ... | 2010 | 20927352 |
no postnatal maternal effect on male aggressiveness in wild-derived strains of house mice. | male aggressiveness is a complex behavior influenced by a number of genetic and non-genetic factors. traditionally, the contribution of each of these factors has been established from experiments using artificially selected strains for high/low aggressive phenotypes. however, little is known about the factors underlying aggressive behavior in natural populations. in this study, we assess the influence of genetic background vs. postnatal maternal environment using a set of cross-fostering experim ... | 2010 | 20954263 |
house mouse colonization patterns on the sub-antarctic kerguelen archipelago suggest singular primary invasions and resilience against re-invasion. | starting from western europe, the house mouse (mus musculus domesticus) has spread across the globe in historic times. however, most oceanic islands were colonized by mice only within the past 300 years. this makes them an excellent model for studying the evolutionary processes during early stages of new colonization. we have focused here on the kerguelen archipelago, located within the sub-antarctic area and compare the patterns with samples from other southern ocean islands. | 2010 | 20977744 |
norwegian house mice (mus musculus musculus/domesticus): distributions, routes of colonization and patterns of hybridization. | we investigated the distributions and routes of colonization of two commensal subspecies of house mouse in norway: mus musculus domesticus and m. m. musculus. five nuclear markers (abpa, d11 cenb2, btk, smcy and zfy2) and a morphological feature (tail length) were used to differentiate the two subspecies and assess their distributions, and mitochondrial (mt) d-loop sequences helped to elucidate their colonization history. m. m. domesticus is the more widespread of the two subspecies, occupying t ... | 2010 | 21044192 |
extraordinary sequence divergence at tsga8, an x-linked gene involved in mouse spermiogenesis. | the x chromosome plays an important role in both adaptive evolution and speciation. we used a molecular evolutionary screen of x-linked genes potentially involved in reproductive isolation in mice to identify putative targets of recurrent positive selection. we then sequenced five very rapidly evolving genes within and between several closely related species of mice in the genus mus. all five genes were involved in male reproduction and four of the genes showed evidence of recurrent positive sel ... | 2010 | 21186189 |
why is the house mouse karyotype so variable? | rates of robertsonian chromosomal evolution in the western european house mouse are about two orders of magnitude greater than for most other mammals. this has resulted in a remarkable diversity of karyotypic races in a very short period of time. recent studies are beginning to shed light on the relative contributions of mutation, drift, selection and meiotic drive in producing this pattern. | 1995 | 21237083 |
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 |
experimental evolution of sperm competitiveness in a mammal. | when females mate with multiple partners, sperm from rival males compete to fertilize the ova. studies of experimental evolution have proven the selective action of sperm competition on male reproductive traits. however, while reproductive traits may evolve in response to sperm competition, this does not necessarily provide evidence that sperm competitive ability responds to selection. indeed, a study of drosophila failed to observe divergence in sperm competitive ability of males in lines selec ... | 2011 | 21251249 |
polyandrous females benefit by producing sons that achieve high reproductive success in a competitive environment. | females of many taxa often copulate with multiple males and incite sperm competition. on the premise that males of high genetic quality are more successful in sperm competition, it has been suggested that females may benefit from polyandry by accruing 'good genes' for their offspring. laboratory studies have shown that multiple mating can increase female fitness through enhanced embryo viability, and have exposed how polyandry influences the evolution of the ejaculate. however, such studies ofte ... | 2011 | 21288948 |
genetic ecotoxicology of asbestos pollution in the house mouse mus musculus domesticus. | we tested the genetic diversity in wild mice (mus musculus domesticus) inhabiting the asbestos-polluted area as a model for the long-term mutagenic effect of asbestos. hazardous effects of deposited asbestos persist in the environment because of low rate of fiber disintegration. the upper layers of the soil in the vicinity of a former asbestos factory are nearly "saturated" with asbestos fibers and dust. natural populations of mice dwell in this area and are constantly exposed to asbestos fibers ... | 2011 | 21384142 |
managing crop damage caused by house mice (mus domesticus) in australia. | a large-scale outbreak of the house mouse populations occurs in grain growing in australia on average once every four years. high densities of mice cause major yield losses to cereal crops, and low to moderate densities of mice also cause some losses. several predictive models based on rainfall patterns have been developed to forecast mouse density. these models carry some uncertainty and the economic value of basing management actions on these models is not clear. baiting is the most commonly u ... | 2010 | 21392317 |
comparison of population estimators and indices for monitoring house mice in sorghum crops. | house mice (mus musculus domesticus schwarz & schwarz, 1943) are monitored in australia and china to track changes in mouse population densities and forecast their potential damage to cereal crops. the present study compared population indices based on the number of different mice caught and overall trap success from live-trapping with an oil card index (oc) and a tracking index (t) for monitoring mice in sorghum crops immediately before crop maturation. t was measured as the percentage of track ... | 2010 | 21392322 |
negotiating a noisy, information-rich environment in search of cryptic prey: olfactory predators need patchiness in prey cues. | 1. olfactory predator search processes differ fundamentally to those based on vision, particularly when odour cues are deposited rather than airborne or emanating from a point source. when searching for visually cryptic prey that may have moved some distance from a deposited odour cue, cue context and spatial variability are the most likely sources of information about prey location available to an olfactory predator. 2. we tested whether the house mouse (mus domesticus), a model olfactory preda ... | 2011 | 21401592 |
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 |
properties of a hybrid zone between highly distinct chromosomal races of the house mouse (mus musculus domesticus) in northern italy, and comparisons with other hybrid zones. | here we provide the first detailed description of the hybrid zone between the cremona chromosomal race of house mouse (icre; 2n = 22) and the standard all-telocentric race (40st; 2n = 40), with full karyotypes of 106 individuals from 17 localities along a transect between the 2 races to the west of lake garda in northern italy. the icre race is characterised by 9 pairs of metacentric chromosomes in a homozygous state and we use the metacentric frequency data along the transect to fit tanh metace ... | 2011 | 21540576 |
evolutionary modularity of the mouse mandible: dissecting the effect of chromosomal reorganizations and isolation by distance in a robertsonian system of mus musculus domesticus. | the mouse mandible consists of several morphogenetic units that are usually grouped into two main modules: the alveolar region and the ascending ramus. the genetic/ontogenetic modularity of the two regions implies that they might evolve independently to some extent. in particular, evolutionary modularity in quantitative traits could arise during chromosomal speciation due to lower gene flow in rearranged chromosomes. with the aim of uncovering the autonomous evolution of the mandible modules, th ... | 2011 | 21615588 |
subspecific origin and haplotype diversity in the laboratory mouse. | here we provide a genome-wide, high-resolution map of the phylogenetic origin of the genome of most extant laboratory mouse inbred strains. our analysis is based on the genotypes of wild-caught mice from three subspecies of mus musculus. we show that classical laboratory strains are derived from a few fancy mice with limited haplotype diversity. their genomes are overwhelmingly mus musculus domesticus in origin, and the remainder is mostly of japanese origin. we generated genome-wide haplotype m ... | 2011 | 21623374 |
serine/threonine-protein phosphatase 1 α levels are paralleling olfactory memory formation in the cd1 mouse. | although olfactory discrimination has already been studied in several mouse strains, data on protein levels linked to olfactory memory are limited. wild mouse strains mus musculus musculus, mus musculus domesticus and cd1 laboratory outbred mice were tested in a conditioned odor preference task and trained to discriminate between two odors, rose and lemon, by pairing one odor with a sugar reward. six hours following the final test, mice were sacrificed and olfactory bulbs (ob) were taken for gel ... | 2011 | 21647921 |
identification of ejaculated proteins in the house mouse (mus domesticus) via isotopic labeling. | seminal fluid plays an important role in successful fertilization, but knowledge of the full suite of proteins transferred from males to females during copulation is incomplete. the list of ejaculated proteins remains particularly scant in one of the best-studied mammalian systems, the house mouse (mus domesticus), where artificial ejaculation techniques have proven inadequate. here we investigate an alternative method for identifying ejaculated proteins, by isotopically labeling females with 15 ... | 2011 | 21663664 |
measures of linkage disequilibrium among neighbouring snps indicate asymmetries across the house mouse hybrid zone. | theory predicts that naturally occurring hybrid zones between genetically distinct taxa can move over space and time as a result of selection and/or demographic processes, with certain types of hybrid zones being more or less likely to move. determining whether a hybrid zone is stationary or moving has important implications for understanding evolutionary processes affecting interactions in hybrid populations. however, direct observations of hybrid zone movement are difficult to make unless the ... | 2011 | 21668551 |
genetic dissection of a key reproductive barrier between nascent species of house mice. | reproductive isolation between species is often caused by deleterious interactions among loci in hybrids. finding the genes involved in these incompatibilities provides insight into the mechanisms of speciation. with recently diverged subspecies, house mice provide a powerful system for understanding the genetics of reproductive isolation early in the speciation process. although previous studies have yielded important clues about the genetics of hybrid male sterility in house mice, they have be ... | 2011 | 21750261 |
prevalence and co-infection of toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum in apodemus sylvaticus in an area relatively free of cats. | summarythe protozoan parasite toxoplasma gondii is prevalent worldwide and can infect a remarkably wide range of hosts despite felids being the only definitive host. as cats play a major role in transmission to secondary mammalian hosts, the interaction between cats and these hosts should be a major factor determining final prevalence in the secondary host. this study investigates the prevalence of t. gondii in a natural population of apodemus sylvaticus collected from an area with low cat densi ... | 2011 | 21756421 |
cytokine profile in murine toxoplasmosis. | to investigate which cytokines are produced after acute infection of mice with toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii) rh strain. | 2011 | 21771408 |
adaptive introgression of anticoagulant rodent poison resistance by hybridization between old world mice. | polymorphisms in the vitamin k 2,3-epoxide reductase subcomponent 1 (vkorc1) of house mice (mus musculus domesticus) can cause resistance to anticoagulant rodenticides such as warfarin [1-3]. here we show that resistant house mice can also originate from selection on vkorc1 polymorphisms acquired from the algerian mouse (m. spretus) through introgressive hybridization. we report on a polymorphic introgressed genomic region in european m. m. domesticus that stems from m. spretus, spans >10 mb on ... | 2011 | 21782438 |
different regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis in western house mice (mus musculus domesticus) and c57bl/6 mice. | adult hippocampal neurogenesis (ahn) of laboratory rodents is enhanced by physical exercise in a running wheel. however, little is known about modulation of ahn in wild-living rodent species. the finding that ahn cannot be modulated by voluntary exercise in wild wood mice suggests that ahn may be regulated differently under natural conditions than in laboratory adapted animals. in order to minimize genetic influences, we aimed to investigate the genetically closest wild-living relatives of labor ... | 2011 | 21803074 |
the scent of senescence: sexual signalling and female preference in house mice. | sexual signals are expected to be costly to produce and maintain, thus ensuring that only males in good condition can sustain their expression at high levels. when males reach senescence they lose physiological function and condition, which could constrain their ability to invest in costly sexual signals, decreasing their attractiveness to mates. furthermore, females may have evolved mating preferences that cause avoidance of senesced males to enhance fertilization success and viability of offsp ... | 2011 | 21848973 |
production of uv-light-detectable faeces from house mice (mus musculus domesticus) after consumption of encapsulated fluorescent pigment in monitoring bait. | background: the authors investigated whether fluorescent pigment in thermoset melamine microcapsules incorporated into monitoring baits would be excreted in the faeces of wild house mice in a quantity and intensity that would be detectable by a human observer. results: experimental mice produced 24-116 uv-visible faecal pellets per 24 h; the mean dry weight was 582 mg. the number and weight of the faeces was independent of mouse sex and weight. the defecation of uv-visible faeces began at 2-3 h, ... | 2011 | 21919185 |
distribution and genetic variation of hymenolepidid cestodes in murid rodents on the canary islands (spain). | in the canary islands there are no previous data about tapeworms (cestoda) of rodents. in order to identify the hymenolepidid species present in these hosts, a survey of 1,017 murine (349 rattus rattus, 13 rattus norvegicus and 655 mus musculus domesticus) was carried out in the whole archipelago. molecular studies based on nuclear its1 and mitochondrial coi loci were performed to confirm the identifications and to analyse the levels of genetic variation and differentiation. | 2011 | 21943096 |
micro-evolutionary divergence patterns of mandible shapes in wild house mouse (mus musculus) populations. | insights into the micro-evolutionary patterns of morphological traits require an assessment of the natural variation of the trait within and between populations and closely related species. the mouse mandible is a particularly suitable morphological trait for such an analysis, since it has long been used as a model to study the quantitative genetics of shape. in addition, many distinct populations, sub-species and closely related species are known for the house mouse. however, morphological comp ... | 2011 | 22008647 |
male house mice evolving with post-copulatory sexual selection sire embryos with increased viability. | although mating is costly, multiple mating by females is a taxonomically widespread phenomenon. theory has suggested that polyandry may allow females to gain genetic benefits for their offspring, and thus offset the costs associated with this mating strategy. for example, the good sperm hypothesis posits that females benefit from mating multiply when genetically superior males have increased success in sperm competition and produce high quality offspring. we applied the powerful approach of expe ... | 2012 | 22011211 |
isolation and gene flow: inferring the speciation history of european house mice. | inferring the history of isolation and gene flow during species differentiation can inform us on the processes underlying their formation. following their recent expansion in europe, two subspecies of the house mouse (mus musculus domesticus and mus musculus musculus) have formed a hybrid zone maintained by hybrid incompatibilities and possibly behavioural reinforcement, offering a good model of incipient speciation. we reconstruct the history of their divergence using an approximate bayesian co ... | 2011 | 22066696 |
identification of compatibility between ooplasmic factor and sperm gene in the intersubspecific crosses involving ddk and pwk mice strains. | the ddk strain (mus musculus domesticus) of inbred mouse has a unique peculiarity known as ddk syndrome. the ddk females are mostly infertile when crossed with males of other inbred strains, while ddk males exhibit normal fertility in the reciprocal crosses, as intrastrain matings. this ddk syndrome has been demonstrated to be caused by an incompatibility system between ddk ooplasmic factor and the sperm gene of other strains owing to the ovum mutant (om) locus on mouse chromosome 11. recently, ... | 2011 | 22133683 |
heterogenous turnover of sperm and seminal vesicle proteins in the mouse revealed by dynamic metabolic labeling. | plasticity in ejaculate composition is predicted as an adaptive response to the evolutionary selective pressure of sperm competition. however, to respond rapidly to local competitive conditions requires dynamic modulation in the production of functionally relevant ejaculate proteins. here we combine metabolic labeling of proteins with proteomics to explore the opportunity for such modulation within mammalian ejaculates. we assessed the rate at which proteins are synthesized and incorporated in t ... | 2012 | 22331477 |
rodenticide exposure in wood mouse and house mouse populations on farms and potential secondary risk to predators. | we compared capture rates and exposure to sgars of wood mice (apodemus sylvaticus) and house mice (mus domesticus) in autumn/winter on farms that currently used, had previously used, and never used sgars. 6-10 weeks after baiting programmes began, 15 % of 55 wood mice and 33 % of 12 house mice had detectable liver sgar residues. wood mice with residues occurred on farms not using rodenticides, reflecting the high mobility of these animals, and four had multiple liver residues, possibly due to cr ... | 2012 | 22447471 |
cryptosporidium tyzzeri and cryptosporidium muris originated from wild west-european house mice (mus musculus domesticus) and east-european house mice (mus musculus musculus) are non-infectious for pigs. | three and 8 week old pigs were inoculated with cryptosporidium muris hz206 (mus musculus musculus isolate), cryptosporidium tyzerri cr2090 (m. m. musculus isolate) or c. tyzzeri cr4293 (isolate from a hybrid between mus musculus domesticus and m. m. musculus) at a dose of 1 × 10(7) oocysts per animal. inoculated pigs showed no detectable infection and no clinical symptoms of cryptosporidiosis during 30 days post infection (dpi), and no macroscopic changes were detected in the digestive tract fol ... | 2012 | 22465334 |
vkorc1 variation in house mice during warfarin and difenacoum field trials. | field studies guided by genetic monitoring of vkorc1 need to be done to implicate mutations conclusively with rodent control problems due to the presence of animals resistant to anticoagulant rodenticides. rodent control success in relation to vkorc1 genotypes in house mice (mus musculus domesticus) was studied on two farms (i and ii) in germany. tests were carried out to determine whether certain resistance profiles and vkorc1 genotypes displayed dynamics over the course of sequential treatment ... | 2013 | 22528807 |
spatio-temporal variation in the structure of a chromosomal polymorphism zone in the house mouse. | several long-term temporal analyses of the structure of robertsonian (rb) hybrid zones in the western house mouse, mus musculus domesticus, have been performed. nevertheless, the detection of gradual or very rapid variations in a zone may be overlooked when the time elapsed between periods of study is too long. the barcelona chromosomal polymorphism zone of the house mouse covers about 5000, km(2) around the city of barcelona and is surrounded by 40 chromosome telocentric populations. seven diff ... | 2012 | 22534497 |
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 |
genetics and evolution of hybrid male sterility in house mice. | comparative genetic mapping provides insights into the evolution of the reproductive barriers that separate closely related species. this approach has been used to document the accumulation of reproductive incompatibilities over time, but has only been applied to a few taxa. house mice offer a powerful system to reconstruct the evolution of reproductive isolation between multiple subspecies pairs. however, studies of the primary reproductive barrier in house mice-hybrid male sterility-have been ... | 2012 | 22554891 |
different patterns of robertsonian fusion pairing in bovidae and the house mouse: the relationship between chromosome size and nuclear territories. | using a dataset of karyotypic changes reported for bovids and the house mouse (mus musculus domesticus) together with information from the cattle (bos taurus) and mouse genomes, we examined two principal variables that have been proposed to predict chromosomal positioning in the nucleus, chromosome size and gc content. these were expected to influence the distribution of robertsonian (rb) fusions, the predominant mode of chromosomal change in both taxa. we found the largest chromosomes to be mos ... | 2012 | 22624569 |
isolation and characterization of a new strain of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus from rodents in southwestern france. | a total of 821 tissue samples from rodents trapped during field campaigns organized in europe and africa were screened for the presence of arenaviruses by molecular methods and cell culture inoculation when feasible. two mus musculus domesticus trapped in the southwestern part of france were infected with a potentially new strain of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (lcmv), here referred to as lcmv strain hp65-2009, which was isolated and genetically characterized by whole genome sequencing. ge ... | 2012 | 22651393 |
a pronounced evolutionary shift of the pseudoautosomal region boundary in house mice. | the pseudoautosomal region (par) is essential for the accurate pairing and segregation of the x and y chromosomes during meiosis. despite its functional significance, the par shows substantial evolutionary divergence in structure and sequence between mammalian species. an instructive example of par evolution is the house mouse mus musculus domesticus (represented by the c57bl/6j strain), which has the smallest par among those that have been mapped. in c57bl/6j, the par boundary is located just ~ ... | 2012 | 22763584 |
comparing prexmrv-2 gag sequence diversity in laboratory and wild mice using deep sequencing. | it has recently been reported that the xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (xmrv) derives from a laboratory recombinant. however, sequences with characteristics of the 5' half of xmrv (termed prexmrv-2) have been identified in several laboratory mouse genomes and cell lines suggesting parts of the xmrv genome exist as naturally occurring retroviruses in mice. we compare here prexmrv-2 gag sequence diversity in mice to that of reported xmrv-like sequences by testing a panel of wild mou ... | 2012 | 22771940 |
parasite fauna of rodents (murinae) from el hierro (canary islands, spain): a multidisciplinary approach. | the parasite fauna (protozoa, helminths and insects) of the two most widespread murinae rodents in el hierro (canary islands, spain), the black rat (rattus rattus) and the house mouse (mus musculus domesticus) was studied. faunistic, ecological, ecotoxicological data, as well as information on the biology of some nematode parasites of r. rattus are provided. the present work is unprecedented in the canary islands, and provides the first data on the parasite biodiversity in murinae from the archi ... | 2012 | 22807054 |
[balance hypothesis of action of socially significant volatile chemosignals on reactivity of chromosome machinery of the bone marrow dividing cells in the house mouse mus domesticus l]. | volatile chemosignals released by female cba laboratory mice have been shown to produce action of different direction, depending on conditions of performance of experiment, on chromosome machinery of bone marrow cells in syngenic adult males. thus, chemosignals secreted into environment by isolated adult females decrease frequency of mitotic disturbances in bone marrow dividing cells in male recipients as compared with spontaneous level in control animals. at the same time, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine ... | 2012 | 22827023 |
rapid turnover of long noncoding rnas and the evolution of gene expression. | a large proportion of functional sequence within mammalian genomes falls outside protein-coding exons and can be transcribed into long rnas. however, the roles in mammalian biology of long noncoding rna (lncrna) are not well understood. few lncrnas have experimentally determined roles, with some of these being lineage-specific. determining the extent by which transcription of lncrna loci is retained or lost across multiple evolutionary lineages is essential if we are to understand their contribu ... | 2012 | 22844254 |
the telocentric tandem repeat at the p-arm is not conserved in mus musculus subspecies. | mouse chromosomes, with the exception of the y chromosome, are telocentric. the telomere at the p-arm is separated from the centromere by the tl1 sequence and tlc tandem repeats. a previous report showed that the tlc array was also conserved in other strains of the subgenus mus. these results suggest that the tlc arrays promote the stable evolutionary maintenance of a telocentric karyotype in the subgenus mus. in this study, we investigated the degree of conservation of tlc arrays among a variet ... | 2013 | 23116940 |
how random is social behaviour? disentangling social complexity through the study of a wild house mouse population. | out of all the complex phenomena displayed in the behaviour of animal groups, many are thought to be emergent properties of rather simple decisions at the individual level. some of these phenomena may also be explained by random processes only. here we investigate to what extent the interaction dynamics of a population of wild house mice (mus domesticus) in their natural environment can be explained by a simple stochastic model. we first introduce the notion of perceptual landscape, a novel tool ... | 2012 | 23209394 |
origin of the chromosomal radiation of madeiran house mice: a microsatellite analysis of metacentric chromosomes. | chromosome races of mus musculus domesticus are characterised by particular sets of metacentric chromosomes formed by robertsonian fusions and whole-arm reciprocal translocations. the atlantic island of madeira is inhabited by six chromosome races of house mice with 6-9 pairs of metacentric chromosomes. three of these races are characterised by the metacentric 3.8 also found elsewhere in the distribution of m. m. domesticus, including denmark and spain. we investigated the possibility that metac ... | 2013 | 23232832 |
genetic tracking of mice and other bioproxies to infer human history. | the long-distance movements made by humans through history are quickly erased by time but can be reconstructed by studying the genetic make-up of organisms that travelled with them. the phylogeography of the western house mouse (mus musculus domesticus), whose current widespread distribution around the world has been caused directly by the movements of (primarily) european people, has proved particularly informative in a series of recent studies. the geographic distributions of genetic lineages ... | 2013 | 23290437 |
invasive house mice facing a changing environment on the sub-antarctic guillou island (kerguelen archipelago). | adaptation to new environments is a key feature in evolution promoting divergence in morphological structures under selection. the house mouse (mus musculus domesticus) introduced on the sub-antarctic guillou island (kerguelen archipelago) had and still has to face environmental conditions that likely shaped the pattern and pace of its insular evolution. since mouse arrival on the island, probably not more than two centuries ago, ecological conditions dramatically differed from those available t ... | 2013 | 23331296 |
morphometric analysis of the placenta in the new world mouse necromys lasiurus (rodentia, cricetidae): a comparison of placental development in cricetids and murids. | stereology is an established method to extrapolate three-dimensional quantities from two-dimensional images. it was applied to placentation in the mouse, but not yet for other rodents. herein, we provide the first study on quantitative placental development in a sigmodontine rodent species with relatively similar gestational time. placental structure was also compared to the mouse, in order to evaluate similarities and differences in developmental patterns at the end of gestation. | 2013 | 23433040 |
paternal imprinting of mating preferences between natural populations of house mice (mus musculus domesticus). | the evolutionary divergence of cues for mate recognition can contribute to early stages of population separation. we compare here two allopatric populations of house mice (mus musculus domesticus) that have become separated about 3000 years ago. we have used paternity assignments in semi-natural environments to study the degree of mutual mate recognition according to population origin under conditions of free choice and overlapping generations. our results provide insights into the divergence of ... | 2013 | 23506395 |
evolution of the structure and composition of house mouse satellite dna sequences in the subgenus mus (rodentia: muridea): a cytogenomic approach. | the composition and orientation of the house mouse satellite dna sequences (minor, major, tlc) were investigated by a fish and co-fish approach in 11 taxa belonging to three clades of the subgenus mus. using a phylogenetic framework, our results highlighted two distribution patterns. the tlc satellite, the most recently discovered satellite, was present in all clades but varied quantitatively among species. this distribution supported its appearance in the ancestor of the subgenus followed by in ... | 2013 | 23515652 |
early gene expression divergence between allopatric populations of the house mouse (mus musculus domesticus). | divergence of gene expression is known to contribute to the differentiation and separation of populations and species, although the dynamics of this process in early stages of population divergence remains unclear. we analyzed gene expression differences in three organs (brain, liver, and testis) between two natural populations of mus musculus domesticus that have been separated for at most 3000 years. we used two different microarray platforms to corroborate the results at a large scale and ide ... | 2013 | 23532401 |
leptospirosis risk increases with changes in species composition of rat populations. | rats are major reservoirs of leptospirosis and considered as a main threat to biodiversity. a recent introduction of rattus rattus to the island of futuna (western polynesia) provided the opportunity to test if a possible change in species composition of rat populations would increase the risk of leptospirosis to humans. we trapped rodents on wallis and futuna and assessed leptospira carriage in 357 rodents (rattus norvegicus, r. rattus, rattus exulans, and mus domesticus) from 2008 to 2012. whi ... | 2013 | 23535996 |
the ancestor of extant japanese fancy mice contributed to the mosaic genomes of classical inbred strains. | commonly used classical inbred mouse strains have mosaic genomes with sequences from different subspecific origins. their genomes are derived predominantly from the western european subspecies mus musculus domesticus, with the remaining sequences derived mostly from the japanese subspecies mus musculus molossinus. however, it remains unknown how this intersubspecific genome introgression occurred during the establishment of classical inbred strains. in this study, we resequenced the genomes of t ... | 2013 | 23604024 |
several classical mouse inbred strains, including dba/2, nod/lt, fvb/n, and sjl/j, carry a putative loss-of-function allele of gpr84. | g protein-coupled receptor 84 (gpr84) is a 7-transmembrane protein expressed on myeloid cells that can bind to medium-chain free fatty acids in vitro. here, we report the discovery of a 2-bp frameshift deletion in the second exon of the gpr84 gene in several classical mouse inbred strains. this deletion generates a premature stop codon predicted to result in a truncated protein lacking the transmembrane domains 4-7. we sequenced gpr84 exon 2 from 58 strains representing different groups in the m ... | 2017 | 23616478 |
habitat-specific shaping of proliferation and neuronal differentiation in adult hippocampal neurogenesis of wild rodents. | daily life of wild mammals is characterized by a multitude of attractive and aversive stimuli. the hippocampus processes complex polymodal information associated with such stimuli and mediates adequate behavioral responses. how newly generated hippocampal neurons in wild animals contribute to hippocampal function is still a subject of debate. here, we test the relationship between adult hippocampal neurogenesis (ahn) and habitat types. to this end, we compare wild muridae species of southern afr ... | 2013 | 23616743 |
cross-platform microarray meta-analysis for the mouse jejunum selects novel reference genes with highly uniform levels of expression. | reference genes (rgs) with uniform expression are used for normalization of reverse transcription quantitative pcr (rt-qpcr) data. their optimization for a specific biological context, e.g. a specific tissue, has been increasingly considered. in this article, we compare rgs identified by expression data meta-analysis restricted to the context tissue, the jejunum of mus musculus domesticus, i) to traditional rgs, ii) to expressed interspersed repeated dna elements, and iii) to rgs identified by m ... | 2013 | 23671661 |
mate choice in mus musculus is relative and dependent on the estrous state. | mate choice is a critical behavioral decision process with profound impact on evolution. however, the mechanistic basis of mate choice is poorly understood. in this study we focused on assortative mate choice, which is known to contribute to the reproductive isolation of the two european subspecies of house mouse, mus musculus musculus and mus musculus domesticus. to understand the decision process, we developed both full mating and limited-contact paradigms and tested musculus females' preferen ... | 2013 | 23762466 |
coevolution of cryptosporidium tyzzeri and the house mouse (mus musculus). | two house mouse subspecies occur in europe, eastern and northern mus musculus musculus (mmm) and western and southern mus musculus domesticus (mmd). a secondary hybrid zone occurs where their ranges meet, running from scandinavia to the black sea. in this paper, we tested a hypothesis that the apicomplexan protozoan species cryptosporidium tyzzeri has coevolved with the house mouse. more specifically, we assessed to what extent the evolution of this parasite mirrors divergence of the two subspec ... | 2013 | 23791796 |
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 |
extreme nearly neutral evolution in mitochondrial genomes of laboratory mouse strains. | relaxation of the selective constraint during the domestication process is known. in this study, we report unexpected closeness to neutral evolution of mitochondrial genomes of laboratory mouse strains: estimated non-synonymous/synonymous rate ratio being very close to 1 (ω^=1.32). probably it is due to the extreme inbreeding extending over 100 years as well as to their recent origin (middle of the last millennium). there is no rate difference observed among three codon positions as well as ribo ... | 2014 | 23954256 |
genetic architecture of skewed x inactivation in the laboratory mouse. | x chromosome inactivation (xci) is the mammalian mechanism of dosage compensation that balances x-linked gene expression between the sexes. early during female development, each cell of the embryo proper independently inactivates one of its two parental x-chromosomes. in mice, the choice of which x chromosome is inactivated is affected by the genotype of a cis-acting locus, the x-chromosome controlling element (xce). xce has been localized to a 1.9 mb interval within the x-inactivation center (x ... | 2013 | 24098153 |
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 |
wake up and smell the conflict: odour signals in female competition. | odour signals used in competitive and aggressive interactions between males are well studied in the context of sexual selection. by contrast, relatively little is known about comparable signals used by females, despite current interest in the evolution of female ornaments and weaponry. available evidence suggests that odour signals are important in competitive interactions between female mammals, with reductions or reversals of male-biased sexual dimorphism in signalling where female competition ... | 2013 | 24167312 |
rates of urine excretion by house mouse (mus domesticus): differences by age, sex, social status, and reproductive condition. | a series of five experiments was used to test hypotheses about factors affecting excreted urine output per day in male and female house mice (mus domesticus). urine was collected in metabolism cages over a 24-hr period. male house mice excrete urine at a rate 1.5-2.0 times that of females. daily average urine output increases with age for both sexes and for mice of the same age; urine output per day is correlated with body mass. females in estrus produce more urine than females in diestrus. urin ... | 1995 | 24233678 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
wild mice as bountiful resources of novel genetic variants for quantitative traits. | most traits of biological importance, including traits for human complex diseases (e.g., obesity and diabetes), are continuously distributed. these complex or quantitative traits are controlled by multiple genetic loci called qtls (quantitative trait loci), environments and their interactions. the laboratory mouse has long been used as a pilot animal model for understanding the genetic architecture of quantitative traits. next-generation sequencing analyses and genome-wide snp (single nucleotide ... | 2013 | 24294103 |
manipulating reproductive effort leads to changes in female reproductive scheduling but not oxidative stress. | the trade-off between reproductive investment and lifespan is the single most important concept in life-history theory. a variety of sources of evidence support the existence of this trade-off, but the physiological costs of reproduction that underlie this relationship remain poorly understood. the free radical theory of ageing suggests that oxidative stress, which occurs when there is an imbalance between the production of damaging reactive oxygen species (ros) and protective antioxidants, may ... | 2013 | 24324867 |
sexual selection against natural hybrids may contribute to reinforcement in a house mouse hybrid zone. | sexual selection may hinder gene flow across contact zones when hybrid recognition signals are discriminated against. we tested this hypothesis in a unimodal hybrid zone between mus musculus musculus and mus musculus domesticus where a pattern of reinforcement was described and lower hybrid fitness documented. we presented mice from the border of the hybrid zone with a choice between opposite sex urine from the same subspecies versus hybrids sampled in different locations across the zone. while ... | 2014 | 24352947 |
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 |
diversity and complexity of the mouse saa1 and saa2 genes. | mouse strains show polymorphisms in the amino acid sequences of serum amyloid a 1 (saa1) and serum amyloid a 2 (saa2). major laboratory mouse strains are classified based on the sequence as carrying the a haplotype (e.g., balb/c) or b haplotype (e.g., sjl/j) of the saa1 and saa2 gene unit. we attempted to elucidate the diversity of the mouse saa1 and saa2 family genes at the nucleotide sequence level by a systematic survey of 6 inbred mouse strains from 4 mus subspecies, including mus musculus d ... | 2014 | 24521869 |
multiple paternity in wild house mice (mus musculus musculus): effects on offspring genetic diversity and body mass. | multiple mating is common in many species, but it is unclear whether multiple paternity enhances offspring genetic diversity or fitness. we conducted a survey on wild house mice (mus musculus musculus), and we found that in 73 pregnant females, 29% of litters had multiple sires, which is remarkably similar to the 23-26% found in feral populations of mus musculus domesticus in the usa and australia, respectively. the question is: how has selection maintained multiple mating in these subspecies si ... | 2014 | 24558575 |
demographic history of a recent invasion of house mice on the isolated island of gough. | island populations provide natural laboratories for studying key contributors to evolutionary change, including natural selection, population size and the colonization of new environments. the demographic histories of island populations can be reconstructed from patterns of genetic diversity. house mice (mus musculus) inhabit islands throughout the globe, making them an attractive system for studying island colonization from a genetic perspective. gough island, in the central south atlantic ocea ... | 2014 | 24617968 |
ancient urban ecology reconstructed from archaeozoological remains of small mammals in the near east. | modern rapidly expanding cities generate intricate patterns of species diversity owing to immense complexity in urban spatial structure and current growth trajectories. we propose to identify and uncouple the drivers that give rise to these patterns by looking at the effect of urbanism on species diversity over a previously unexplored long temporal frame that covers early developments in urbanism. to provide this historical perspective we analyzed archaeozoological remains of small mammals from ... | 2014 | 24622726 |
how important are seabirds in the diet of black rats on islands with a superpredator? | this study assessed the impact of introduced black rats (rattus rattus) on cory's shearwater (calonectris diomedea borealis) in a multi-invaded insular ecosystem where rats are mesopredators. we hypothesized that black rats should have little impact on cory's shearwaters in the presence of cats as superpredators. stomach contents and stable isotope analysis (sia) in tissues of black rats were analyzed to assess the trophic ecology and the importance of cory's shearwater in their diet. we also st ... | 2014 | 24726532 |
prdm9 incompatibility controls oligospermia and delayed fertility but no selfish transmission in mouse intersubspecific hybrids. | pr-domain 9 (prdm9) is the first hybrid sterility gene identified in mammals. the incompatibility between prdm9 from mus musculus domesticus (mmd; the b6 strain) and the hstx2 region of chromosome (chr) x from m. m. musculus (mmm; the pwd strain) participates in the complete meiotic arrest of mouse intersubspecific (pwd×b6)f1 hybrid males. other studies suggest that also semisterile intersubspecific hybrids are relevant for mouse speciation, but the genes responsible remain unknown. to investiga ... | 2014 | 24756080 |
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 |
a role for ultrasonic vocalisation in social communication and divergence of natural populations of the house mouse (mus musculus domesticus). | it has long been known that rodents emit signals in the ultrasonic range, but their role in social communication and mating is still under active exploration. while inbred strains of house mice have emerged as a favourite model to study ultrasonic vocalisation (usv) patterns, studies in wild animals and natural situations are still rare. we focus here on two wild derived mouse populations. we recorded them in dyadic encounters for extended periods of time to assess possible roles of usvs and the ... | 2014 | 24816836 |
sequential male mate choice under sperm competition risk. | male eagerness to mate is a central paradigm of sexual selection theory. however, limited sperm supplies mean that male sexual restraint might sometimes be favored under promiscuous mating. here, we demonstrate dynamic plasticity in male mating effort when females are encountered sequentially under varying sperm competition risk. rather than showing consistent eagerness to mate, male house mice (mus musculus domesticus) instead tailor their mating effort according to likely reproductive payoffs. ... | 2014 | 24822023 |
genome-wide quantitative analysis of histone h3 lysine 4 trimethylation in wild house mouse liver: environmental change causes epigenetic plasticity. | in mammals, exposure to toxic or disease-causing environments can change epigenetic marks that are inherited independently of the intrauterine environment. such inheritance of molecular phenotypes may be adaptive. however, studies demonstrating molecular evidence for epigenetic inheritance have so far relied on extreme treatments, and are confined to inbred animals. we therefore investigated whether epigenomic changes could be detected after a non-drastic change in the environment of an outbred ... | 2014 | 24849289 |
genetic recombination variation in wild robertsonian mice: on the role of chromosomal fusions and prdm9 allelic background. | despite the existence of formal models to explain how chromosomal rearrangements can be fixed in a population in the presence of gene flow, few empirical data are available regarding the mechanisms by which genome shuffling contributes to speciation, especially in mammals. in order to shed light on this intriguing evolutionary process, here we present a detailed empirical study that shows how robertsonian (rb) fusions alter the chromosomal distribution of recombination events during the formatio ... | 2014 | 24850922 |
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 |
the effect of demonstrator age and number on duration of socially-induced food preferences in house mouse (mus domesticus). | present research was undertaken to investigate whether the transfer of food preference from a demonstrator mouse to an observer can be influenced by their relative age. in experiment 1 an adult female mouse, the observer, was allowed to interact with a recently-fed demonstrator which was a pup of her litter or an adult female mouse. the observer was then tested to assess whether it acquired a preference for the demonstrator's diet. the results showed that a pup demonstrator's influence on an adu ... | 1997 | 24896381 |
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 |
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 |
copy number variants and selective sweeps in natural populations of the house mouse (mus musculus domesticus). | copy-number variants (cnvs) may play an important role in early adaptations, potentially facilitating rapid divergence of populations. we describe an approach to study this question by investigating cnvs present in natural populations of mice in the early stages of divergence and their involvement in selective sweeps. we have analyzed individuals from two recently diverged natural populations of the house mouse (mus musculus domesticus) from germany and france using custom, high-density, compara ... | 2014 | 24917877 |