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Genetic evidence for a maternal effect locus controlling genomic imprinting and growth
Author(s) -
Duselis Amanda R.,
Wiley Christopher D.,
O'Neill Michael J.,
Vrana Paul B.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
genesis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.093
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1526-968X
pISSN - 1526-954X
DOI - 10.1002/gene.20166
Subject(s) - biology , imprinting (psychology) , peromyscus , allele , genomic imprinting , genetics , locus (genetics) , phenotype , loss of heterozygosity , maternal effect , gene , dna methylation , zoology , pregnancy , gene expression , offspring
Crosses between two species of deer mouse ( Peromyscus ) yield dramatic parent‐of‐origin effects. Female P. maniculatus (BW) crossed with male P. polionotus (PO) produce animals smaller than either parent. PO females crossed with BW males yield lethal overgrowth that has been associated with loss‐of‐imprinting (LOI). Previously, we mapped two loci influencing fetal growth. These two loci, however, do not account for the LOI, nor for the dysmorphic phenotypes. Here we report that maternal genetic background strongly influences the LOI. Analyses of crosses wherein maternal genetic background is varied suggest that this effect is likely due to the action of a small number of loci. We have termed these putative loci Meil . Estimation of Meil loci number was confounded by skewed allelic ratios in the intercross line employed. We show that the Meil loci are not identical to any of the DNA methyltransferases shown to be involved in regulation of genomic imprinting. genesis 43:155–165, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.